


𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐓𝐋𝐄 𝐑𝐎𝐒𝐈𝐄, 𝔣𝔯𝔢𝔡 𝔴𝔢𝔞𝔰𝔩𝔢𝔶

by lxpinnelly



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Childhood Trauma, Domestic Fluff, Everyone Needs A Hug, F/F, F/M, Family Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fred Weasley Lives, Friends to Lovers, Heavy Angst, Hogwarts Inter-House Friendships, Hufflepuff Pride, Implied/Referenced Torture, James and Lily come back to life, Love at First Sight, M/M, Not Canon Compliant, Orphanage, Professor Lily Evans Potter, Professor Regulus Black, Professor Remus Lupin, Protective Family, Protective Weasley Family (Harry Potter), Regulus Black come back to life, Rose is a little cinnamon roll, Sane Frank and Alice, Severus Snape Has a Heart, Slow Burn, Somebody Lives/Not Everyone Dies, Team as Family, Torture, but a little shit at the same time, everyone needs therapy tho, fred is a puppy in love, like literally - Freeform, many people comes back to life, protective friends, slightly AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-06
Updated: 2021-02-05
Packaged: 2021-03-08 07:33:41
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 24,829
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26848225
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lxpinnelly/pseuds/lxpinnelly
Summary: where Rosie discovers thingsthat maybe she wished,but would never admit.
Relationships: Alice Longbottom/Frank Longbottom, Fred Weasley/Original Female Character(s), Harry Potter Characters & Original Female Character(s), Harry Potter/Ginny Weasley, Hermione Granger/Ron Weasley, James Potter/Lily Evans Potter, Lee Jordan/George Weasley, Marlene McKinnon/Dorcas Meadowes, Sirius Black/Remus Lupin
Comments: 6
Kudos: 13





	1. the questions of Dumbledore

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Rose wasn't the exact definition of someone people would adopt or want around.

At first glance, she was a beautiful girl, calm and silent. She had thousands of freckles all over her body, including her face, but they fit her well. But when they got closer, it ruined everything: the girl had many defects.

Scars flooded her arms and shoulders, small marks accentuating her neck and broken lips from so much biting. Slightly purple circles under her eyes, filled with fear and guilt. She didn't even say a word, but she didn't need to scare them.

Nobody wanted to adopt the girl, and she knew it herself.

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Rose was a witch, a witch who called herself Evans, despite not having a legal last name. She was 11 and at Hogwarts, Britain's wizarding school.

"Evans, Rose," called that shabby hat.

The young redhead walked carefully to the stool, her scars aching with each step.

She waited a few seconds until the hat spoke:

"Now, now. This is a challenge," said a small, husky voice. "You are quite a case, girl."

"Is that a good thing?"

"You could say yes." The hat simulated breathing as it seemed to analyze her mind. "Amazing what you've been through, you could go to Slytherin if you want to stay away from others; you have great wit. Direct from your mother, of course."

"I have no mother, _Mr. Hat_. I am an _orphan_."

"Ah, of course. Forgive the confusion, miss," the hat joked. "I would tell you that Slytherin is a wonderful choice, but it is not for you. You have some ambition, yes, and a lot of cunning, but they would eat you alive even though you match their other characteristics... Ravenclaw, perhaps: a lot of creativity, and a fondness for knowledge. Very loyal, a great pity that you have had to go through those things.."

Rose tensed at the mention of the hat.

"Now, you really are a whole new challenge. Choose; Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, or Gryffindor?"

"Can you tell me the positive and negative sides? It is difficult to choose a house I am going to have to spend 7 years." Rose asked.

"With all my pleasure! Ravenclaw: creative, open-minded, resourceful, independent, stubborn, good talker, intelligent, passionate, and forward-thinking. Their downside is how antisocial they can be, superiority complex, rude versus those who consider themselves 'ignorant', being much more interested in reading their own books than the books they are supposed to read in class, being bad at small talk, and too busy daydreaming to pay attention to their surroundings I could really offer it to you first-class, but I don't think it suits you much to be snobbish and antisocial."

Rose nodded, taking into account what the hat said.

"Gryffindor: can be truly brave, daring, have a strong moral compass, be eager to defend friends, and those who cannot defend themselves, a strong sense of justice, individualistic. The downside is that it can be too dramatic, more preoccupied with glory than by the act of doing good itself. The moral compass may not point in the most moral direction, the risk-takers reckless, self-obsessed, and easily bored. "

Rose's leg was shaking. This was getting harder and harder.

"Hufflepuff: loyal, kind, fair, helpful, charitable, selfless, hardworking people-savvy, friends of all kinds, family-oriented and comfort-oriented, passionate about people and other living creatures, and excellent team members. Lo Negative of the house of badgers is that conflict can be avoided too much, at a point of ignorance, being afraid of being alone, forgiving and being faithful to people to the point of naivety, passive-aggressive, too safe to avoid running risks, they don't always speak their minds, and they get easily frustrated with tasks when they have to take them on their own. "

Rose felt her breath loose in her chest, and deciding her house, the hat yelled:

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

The red-haired girl ran to the badger table after taking off her hat. They greeted her with applause and excited shouts, and Rose's heart raced, feeling appreciated.

"Hello," a girl with blonde pigtails spoke to her. "My name is Hannah Abbot, it's a pleasure."

"Ro-Rose; the pleasure is all mine." the freckled one made her attempt at a smile which, although it wasn't the best, Hannah appreciated it.

"She is one of my friends, Susan Bones." another girl with blonde hair smiled at her, and Rose nodded in greeting.

"My name is Leanne, and I need friends." a girl with raven hair joined the group of friends in one quick movement. The three girls laughed, Rose in a very soft tone. "This is Megan."

A red-haired girl, a few shades lighter than Rose's, greeted them completely red.

Leila Figdran was just classified in Hufflepuff, and Rose was suddenly somewhat intimidated. Figdran was beautiful, with her long, almost blonde brown hair, pink lips, and light blue eyes.

Soon that feeling faded when Leila introduced herself. She was a very good and confident girl, her twin Lila had stayed in Gryffindor, and she was a little sad about it. Rose couldn't share the feeling. 

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When she was about to go to the bedroom with her new friends, Professor Sprout called out to her softly.

It scared Rose. What if they told her she wasn't a witch and there was just one mistake? That she should go back to the orphanage. Rose felt like she was going to cry, walking with Professor Sprout.

Her head of house stopped her before entering the office, looking into her bright chocolate eyes.

"What's wrong, sweetie?" she asked worriedly. "Dumbledore just wants to see you because of something I notice."

"Won't you send me back?" Rose said, holding back her tears.

"Of course not. You must study to be a wonderful witch." Sprout stroked her cheek, and Rose couldn't help but flinch.

They entered Dumbledore's office, who was waiting for them along with Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape, which Rose recognized thanks to Cedric Diggory (a third-year boy, Hufflepuff too). They were two of the teachers who had watched her the most in the Great Hall.

"Miss Evans, nice to meet a new student," Dumbledore said, with a small smile.

Rose avoided the man's gaze, but muttered something about how _'the pleasure was hers'_.

The girl fixed on her hands, playing with her fingers while feeling the gaze of all the adults in the room.

"I'm not in trouble, am I?" She spoke nervously, real concern seeping into her voice.

The man smiled gently and kindly at her, and in a soothing voice spoke.

"Of course not, Miss Rose. We just wanted to talk to you because of something I've noticed."

Would they have noticed the scars? That was worse than expulsion for her!

Fear seeped into her eyes, and her gaze passed over every adult in the room. Professors Sprout and McGonagall softened before her, Professor Snape avoided her gaze; but Rose noticed him take a wistful look. The director changed his face to something more comforting.

"Come, Rose. Have a seat and have some candy."

Rose followed Dumbledore's order and took a seat across from him. The lemon candy burned on her tongue, but Rose liked it.

Her gaze met that of a Phoenix, who gazed at her deeply with his dark eyes. She tensed: the look of that animal reminded her of _him_ , and neither _he_ nor the animal were liked at that moment.

"Have you come across a Phoenix before?" The headmaster asked, noticing how her back had arched and she had become more nervous.

"Something like that, sir."

"Hm, I see. I will not meddle if you don't want to tell me, Rose. But Fawkes won't hurt you. I think he's just curious about a new presence, weird, but what can you expect from a phoenix, right?"

"Yeah, right... Uh, excuse me, sir, is there a specific reason for you to be here? Has something happened at the orphanage? Have I been moved home again?"

The teachers and the principal looked at her softly, with some surprise.

"We need you to answer some _slightly personal_ questions, Rose," the headmaster smiled at her. "Would it bother you?"

_'It could be the scars,'_ a voice crooned in her head, and Rose was scared just thinking about it. 

"Of course sir," she spoke instinctively. "I mean, I wouldn't mind, sir."

Dumbledore smiled at her, and raising his crescent glasses, spoke:

"When a magical child is born in Britain or to British parents, then it is automatically registered on the list reserved for Hogwarts students. This is not something that I, or any member of the board, can control that. So I was a little surprised that your initial letter did not show the last name, and in your acceptance letter you had to provide us with one. Do you have any idea why this is so?" he asked, still smiling softly at her.

Rose nodded and denied confusing the adults.

"No, I don't, but I can bet a pretty good guess." She replied calmly, seeing how the other two teachers in the room seemed more interested and paying close attention to her. "Technically, I don't have a last name. My.. parents, they dropped me off at an orphanage when I was around one. At the orphanage, the caregivers prefer that we do not have a last name; So if I ever came with a last name, they took it from me. So that's probably why I don't have a name on the letter. Now I pass through Evans, but that is not my legal last name. I chose it because it is common in the Muggle world, and I think here in half-blood families."

The Professors looked at each other before the old man shot the Transformation Professor a warning glance. The woman frowned, looking silently furious with thin lips as if she was trying to contain herself. McGonagall looked away. The greasy-haired man stared impassively, not very bothered by the exchange, and just looking at her with dark, curious eyes: he was inspecting her.

Albus Dumbledore looked at her and smiled calmly.

"I see. We were just checking because for our records we must know the guardians of our students, in case of an emergency," he told her. "Here at Hogwarts, when there is a serious case, the students are immediately taken to St. Mungo's, and the guardians are called instantly."

"What about orphans like me?" Rose asked, tensing the teachers with her indifferent tone when referring to her _'condition'_.

"Magical laws and the Ministry of Magic respond, above all. Although the one who takes charge is the head of the house. In your case, Professor Sprout."

Rose looked at her head of the house who returned her with a motherly smile. Rose wanted to shudder at the warm feeling that spread through her when she noticed the smile.

"What is the name of the orphanage you live in?" Dumbledore asked.

Rose looked back at Dumbledore; he was trying to find something. The man was investigating information, perhaps. Albus Dumbledore knew something was wrong.

It would make sense if the theory that emerged in Rose's head was correct. The man had been a teacher here for over 30 years, from what Rose read. He might know something about her parents if they were magical like her. McGonagall must have been teaching for quite some time. Did they know anything about her abandonment? Perhaps she resembled them. Rose didn't exactly know how her parents look like. 

Rose had a few options here, and the decision she made was one she might regret later when she fully learned the truth. The hat was right: the ignorance Hufflepuffs could have was enormous.

She decided not to ask about her parents. The young girl thought she couldn't handle it, to be honest. She was emotionally fragile enough already; she didn't need to be even more. She didn't care who these people didn't love her. No, she did not.

Of course, no.

"Well, I was dropped off at the St. James orphanage in Scotland in 1981, but some people adopted me shortly after. Unfortunately, it didn't last long that 3 years and they sent me back to another orphanage, so you could say I didn't exactly have a specific orphanage to stay. But since I had moved to London, I am at the Wools Orphanage."

Interestingly, Albus Dumbledore's blue eyes glittered with something dangerous at the mention of the despicable place, but it was gone so fast that she wasn't even sure it was there in the first place. Obviously, she didn't have a positive opinion of the place.

Albus Dumbledore paused noticeably at the revelation and then nodded before asking.

"I see. The first letter was addressed to a small inn in Rothenburg, Germany. Forgive me for being so curious, my dear," he said without taking his eyes off her.

Rose just smiled a childish (and royal) smile before quickly nodding her head:

"Yeah, it was great! Since I'm still quite young, I was very welcome and the Marshall family was so cool that they took us on vacation. Well, three other kids and me: Ben, Sarah, Sophie and I, but..." Rose stopped talking and wiped her smile. "An accidental magic came up, mine, of course. They got scared and took me there again."

"I'm so sorry to hear that, Rose. Have you been adopted before? You asked if they will move you back again."

Rose didn't care about Dumbledore, she was just going to reply. The faster the better. She was going to have to answer at some point, and Rose preffered to answer now.

"Yes, a few times. But they always send me back to the orphanages for magic attacks." Rose sighed, feeling the pitying looks. "With the orphanages... I never stayed in one fixedly. For now, I'm staying in Wools, but it will be a matter of time before they move me. Mrs. Cole seems to hate me; I think I remember her to someone."

Dumbledore nodded and looked at her carefully, as if analyzing her.

"I understand. Thank you very much for answering, Rose. You can go to sleep, it's late and you have classes tomorrow."

"Sure. Good evening, professors; director."

Professor Sprout led her into the Hufflepuff common room, and with a hug she said goodbye. Rose found herself very fond of the teacher, despite having known her for hours.

"Don't forget to fill in the sheets I handed out, my dear." She said. "Sleep well!"

When Rose entered the bedroom, all the girls were waiting for her in their pajamas.

"You're okay?"

"What did Dumbledore call you for?"

"This form is the best thing Hufflepuff ever had!"

Rose laughed at Leanne's comment and nodded towards the girls, who were eagerly awaiting her responses.

"I'm fine. Dumbledore called me to ask me about the orphanage and nothing else. What about the leaves?"

"Oh, these are questions for our comfort. Sexuality, gender, things we are comfortable with, and things we are not, food preferences. Tastes, in general."

Rose nodded, and read the completed form, then turned her head and said:

"I understand nothing."


	2. the thing about being a Hufflepuff

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_**Hufflepuff form** _

Full name: _Rose Evans_  
Age: _11_

1\. What gender do you identify with?  
⬛︎Cis Woman  
⬜︎Cis Man  
⬜︎Transgender Woman  
⬜︎Transgender Man  
⬜︎Nonbinary  
⬜︎Genderqueer  
⬜︎Genderfluid  
⬜︎Agender  
⬜︎Bigender  
⬜︎Polygender  
⬜︎Greygender  
⬜︎Unsure  
⬜︎Other:  
  


2\. What sexuality do you identify with?  
⬛︎? Straight  
⬜︎Gay or Lesbian  
⬜︎Bisexual  
⬜︎Pansexual  
⬜︎Polysexual  
⬜︎Asexual  
⬜︎Demisexual  
⬜︎Grey-Asexual  
⬜︎Queer  
⬛︎Unsure  
⬜︎Other:

3\. Food that you like and food that you don't (include fruits, vegetables, meals):  
 _I enjoy all kinds of sweet or sour fruit, except for blueberries, which I am allergic to. I'm not picky about vegetables, but I'm not a fan of broccoli, garlic, and carrots, I can eat them just the same. I am lactose intolerant. Any kind of dried fruit and_ _fruit pudding_ _makes me throw up. I tried no other candy other than lemon candy, so I can only say that I like lemon candy._

4\. Are you comfortable touching?   
_No. Not if I don't give it first or consent to it.  
_

5\. Do you have any allergies?  
 _Yes: to biting insects, lactose, walnuts, blueberries, almonds, and dust.  
_

**Thank you for taking the time to complete this form. It is for your safety and care in the house. This will be delivered to the kitchen and the Head of House.**

**Again, thank you very much. Greetings, good night / afternoon / days.**

**_ Helga Hufflepuff. _ **

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Rose slept like a baby in the comfortable bed. She had stayed up late with her friends, filling in the form together.

She lay on her stomach and grumbled into the pillow. She had slept well for three hours, but she was still tired. Her back still hurt a bit, but she was healing fine, Rose couldn't wait to go back to sleeping on her back like she used to.

Yawning and drawing the curtains, she watched Hannah adjust her uniform, Susan lazily pulling hers out of her trunk. The others were still sleeping, with the curtains open.

"Good morning, Rosie."

"Good morning, Rose."

Rose smiled slightly at them.

"Good Morning."

She got up carefully and grabbed her uniform. Hufflepuff's yellow and black colors stood out. She changed in the bathroom, with the door closed: she would not risk having her scars and wounds seen.

Looking in the mirror, Rose fixed herself a bit: the first impression counts, or something like that. She made a high half ponytail, letting her long red hair fall down her back. She washed her face, pulling out any mischief. She also used a quick spell to remove chalky paleness and dark circles from her eyes. Her bright hazel eyes did not shine as brightly as they used to, and her face had a natural coldness that spoke of the horrors she had seen.

She pinched her cheeks, leaving them red. Her dark freckles stood out naturally against her pale skin. She pressed her lips together, leaving them pink and painful.

Closing her eyes, Rose told herself, even when she knew she wasn't capable of following it, _'This is a new step, a new beginning, Rose. No low or high expectations. Nobody here can hurt you. You are allowed to be a girl, with responsibilities, a child. You are allowed to laugh and have fun.'_

When she opened her eyes, she looked calm. Rose let out a soft smile and walked out of the bathroom.

Greeting her dorm mates, Rose went to the Common Room. Prefect Jones (who Rose had discovered hours ago was Megan's sister) was waiting for the first years. Other students were chatting and watering the plants.

"Good morning, Rose."

"Good morning, Alice." she mumbled. "Here are the leaves."

She handed her the form, and Alice quickly grabbed it, putting it in her backpack.

"Thank you very much. Do you want to water one?" The girl handed her a watering can.

"Of course." She smiled slightly and grabbed the watering can.

She approached one plant in the room and slowly watered it.

"Hello, Rose."

"Cedric! How are you?" she asked, setting the watering can aside.

"Very good, how are you?" the boy asked kindly. Cedric delicately pulled a rose from the rosebush beside him.

"Well, a little tired."

"Oh yeah, the first night is always the longest. Do you think the girl I like is going to like this?" He showed her the red rose, Rose inspected it.

"If you remove the thorns, and add something that she likes, like a chocolate, a sweet or a caramel; yes."

"Thank you very much!" Cedric kissed her on the cheek and ran off in search of the girl, Rose supposed; then he went back in. "I forgot my backpack!"

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Rose never thought she was going to make friends, but that day she made more than a dozen new partners, and she felt like heaven.

On Monday, she became friends with Ron Weasley and Harry Potter in Herbology class, when she offered to help them with their plants. The two children joined her in their talk with friendly smiles. Rose didn't care what Harry Potter had done, she liked how her friend Harry was. She didn't care that Ron Weasley didn't have the best financial status (hers wasn't the best, either), she liked how passionate Ron was about _Quidditch_ and the _Chudley Cannons_.

The same day but two hours later, she became friends with Hermione Granger; a very studious girl and firm with the rules. They were in the library, making a Defense Against the Dark Arts scroll. First, they helped each other a bit with their scrolls, but then Rose, full of confidence, talked to her. She never knew she was Hermione Granger's first friend, but if she had, she would have introduced her to her housemates; they would be happy to talk to other people.

On Tuesday she met Seamus Finnigan, and consequently Dean Thomas. She had helped to grow Seamus's eyebrows and dusted Dean's face: Finnigan had cast a spell wrong and her eyebrows had disappeared. It was a pleasant laugh that Seamus didn't appreciate (although Rose saw his eyes with an amused glint and the shadow of a smile).

On Wednesday she met Michael Corner and Padma Patil, two Ravenclaws from the same year. They were very smart, but Padma was especially sad. When Rose asked why she found out it was because her twin had stayed in Gryffindor. She couldn't help but remind Leila that the same thing had happened to her.

On Thursday, Rose had the pleasure of meeting Cho Chang, Cedric's girlfriend (yes, the boy _finally_ asked her out). The Ravenclaw was very nice to the girl, even gave her a bar of chocolate when they said goodbye. Susan joked that night, saying that Cho and Cedric were going to become her parents: minutes later she apologized (and for another week too) remembering that Rose was an orphan, but for the redhead it was fine, it had not bothered her at all.

And soon, truly weirdly, Rose had become something of a friend with Professor Snape.

Rose loved Potions class, and it was almost a unique case, as the vast majority of her classmates despised the class and even more the professor. But the class fascinated Rose; It was going great for her. She just didn't like Professor Snape when he treated Harry badly.

Days passed, and the redhead became more comfortable with class and school. But Professor Snape kept avoiding her gaze, only discreetly complementing his potion. Adding to the case, he didn't call her _'Miss Evans'_ , he called her _'Miss Rose'_.

Rose knew something was going on between her and Hogwarts: all the teachers seemed to know something about her that she didn't. From her parents, perhaps, based on the professors' reactions to her.

_For example:_

• Professor McGonagall congratulated her and looked at her a lot. She would smile every time she saw her laugh with her friends.

• Professor Sprout was as motherly as she could be, and although Rose would never admit it, she had grown very fond of her head of house.

• Professor Flitwick was giving her wistful looks, as if she would remind him of someone every time she cast a spell.

• Professor Snape refused to look at her, but Rose saw him peering into her hair, his dark eyes shining with sadness. Every time he insulted Harry, and Rose jumped up to defend him, he looked at her harshly but did not subtract points from his house.

There was something Rose did not know, and it only enraged her, because Rose wanted to know everything.

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"Hey! Hi, hi! Wait!" a girl yelled at her.

Rose turned, looking at a blonde with braids ( _'are they all blonde in here?'_ Rose wondered). The girl was running towards her with a young Indian girl behind her.

"Hello?"

"Hi! I'm Lavender, this is Parvati."

"Rose, Rose Evans. You are Padma's twin, right?" Rose asked, smiling slightly.

"Yes." Parvati laughed.

Rose watched them carefully, her gaze turning to her group of friends waiting for her a few feet ahead. Seamus, Dean, Harry, and Ron were with a boy, Neville, Rose guessed. She still didn't know him very well, but she had talked to him a few times.

Lavender walked over to her and leaned in beside her, a goofy smile on her face.

"You were talking to Harry Potter the other day, right?" she laughed.

Rose raised her eyebrows and nodded, Parvati giggled on her other side also approaching. She tried not to feel uncomfortable about the proximity, but failed miserably.

"Like what did he say? What is he like?" She whispered, eyes looking where the boy was walking. He was short and looked very ordinary next to his friends: it wasn't something Rose would care about, being even shorter than Harry and much weirder.

Rose was silent for a few seconds, not sure what to say.

"Okay, I guess. Uh.. why don't you go talk to him? He's a good kid."

"Are you crazy? Talking to Harry Potter? You're the only girl who has approached to speak to him as if you don't care what he has done."

"Because I care little about what he did," Rose said, almost in a questioning tone. "It's one of my friends, nothing more."

Parvati and Lavender stared at her like she was crazy.

"She must be Muggle-born. And she's a Hufflepuff: you know they're ignorant."

"I don't appreciate the disdain for my home, _Miss_ Brown. Don't treat me like I'm stupid, being you the one who doesn't talk to a boy about something he doesn't like or doesn't remember," Rose said, frowning.

She walked away quickly, not wanting to be a second closer to those girls. Her friends looked at her with amusement once she joined them.

"What happened? You look like Flitwick scowling like that." Seamus laughed.

"Shut up or I'll burn your eyebrows, Finnigan."

Seamus covered his eyebrows quickly, eliciting laughter from the rest. They continued walking toward the Great Hall.

Rose was a little further back, with Harry at her side.

"You're good?" the boy asked.

"They called me ignorant," she said, twisting her mouth. "Well, Hufflepuff. But I am part of the house!"

"Pay no attention to them: you are not ignorant, Rose," Harry said. "Actually, you notice more things than others. You knew I knew nothing about that plant just by looking at me for a second."

"That's because you had an open mouth and a very confused look, Haz."

"Well, but only you noticed it, see? You are not ignorant." Harry said to motivate her. "Also, you are an exceptional listener, and you help me with all the assignments and things that I do not understand."

Rose laughed at her friend's attempts and hugged him awkwardly (even to her surprise).

"Thanks, Harry."

The boy didn't really know what to do, so he just wrapped his arms around her gently, knowing that her friend was not a fan of physical contact.

"Always, Rose."


	3. a new friend

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Fred was intrigued.

 _Really_ intrigued.

Who was Rose Evans, and why did everyone seem to love her?

Good tongues even said that Snape, _the_ greasy Snape, seemed to love her!

Fred wanted to meet this girl. He learned some things thanks to Angelina and Alicia, his partners of the year; Quidditch and home.

Rose Evans: a first-year girl, Hufflepuff (everyone loves Hufflepuffs, Fred reasoned), red-haired, very freckled, short, cute, and kind. If Fred thought about it, he'd say it was the perfect Hufflepuff stereotype; but Ron, her younger brother, told her that Rose was a very good Hufflepuff but with a lot of character.

Ron and Harry (Ronniekins' best friend) told him more about the girl. They were like her best friends, so they knew a lot more about her.

She really had a lot of character, combined with an incredible thirst for knowledge. She was very good at practice and excelled in theory. It was true: Snape loved her, never scold her, and instead congratulated her. She was competing (unconsciously) with Hermione Granger — _a girl in the same year as Ron, also from Gryffindor_ — and Draco Malfoy — _a brat **and** a snake_— for first place in the classes. But she was always in the first place, Granger in the second, and Malfoy in third.

She spent a lot of time in the Greenhouse and the library, always helping others. Ron told him, with tremendous admiration for Evans, that she had helped him make a 6-foot scroll with everything correct. Harry smiled and nodded and excitedly told him she confronted Snape every time he criticized him.

"And he does not take points from her?" George asked, very curious. Fred nodded at his twin, wanting to ask the same question.

"Not at all!" Ron exclaimed.

Fred and George looked at each other, determined to meet this girl.

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Fred didn't expect to meet Rose that very night.

He was escaping from the kitchen, George wanted chocolate since he was not feeling very well, and he was the one in charge of going. With his map in hand, he headed for the kitchen.

The last thing he expected was that Professor McGonagall was going to be guarding the hallways. When the professor was about to find out, a great noise caught McGonagall's attention.

"What was that? Who is there?" then he heard a soft _Lumos_.

"Excuse me, professor. One of my classmates has ... you know what, and I wanted to get her chocolate because I remembered that chocolate helps a lot."

"Ah, well, if that is the case, Miss Evans.."

Evans! The one who was talking was Rose Evans.

"I guess it's okay then. How is your friend doing? Does she need anything? Who is she?"

"Megan Jones, professor. It only hurts, but with chocolate and a pain pill, it will go away. Her sister has already got her the pill, but I offered to get her the chocolate so Prefect Jones didn't have to leave Megan."

Although he wasn't looking at McGonagall, Fred knew that she was smiling.

"5 points to Hufflepuff for helping your friend: go get the chocolate and enter your Common Room, Miss Evans."

"Sure, Professor McGonagall. Good evening."

"Good evening, Miss Evans."

He heard McGonagall go and soon heard the kitchen door open. The elves behind him were still working at breakfast.

"You will be able to leave in a few minutes, Professor McGonagall is not staying for long." Fred looked at the girl in front of him. He had to lower his head because she really was short.

She passed him and asked an elf for the chocolate.

"Rose Evans."

"Oh, believe me, I know." Fred joked. "Everyone at school talks about you. Fred Weasley, my pleasure, young Evans."

"The pleasure is mine, young Weasley." she followed the joke. "You are one of the Prankster twins, right?"

"The most handsome, I am."

"Well, if you say so." the girl smiled. "I guess we'll meet again if you stop by the kitchen. No one but you, know that I spend time here."

"I am totally flattered to know that fact."

Fred watched Rose laugh softly. He took advantage and observed her quickly but carefully.

She had billions of freckles, even more than Ginny (her sister had as many freckles like the stars in the sky, but Rose was on another level). She had hair like a soft fire, tied in two long braids. Her brown eyes looked up at him in amusement, and Fred wondered if he wasn't in heaven. She was noticeably shorter than him, her head not even brushing his shoulder not his chest. She was also very thin, so much so that if she stood behind him, she would disappear. The sweater from her house, Hufflepuff, fell to her knees. Fred was sure it belonged to Cedric Diggory. The fingers hidden behind the sleeve held the chocolate for her friend.

"Well, Fred Weasley: see you later. I hope your brother feels better." Rose Evans winked her right eye and ran into their Common Room.

Fred's jaw dropped.

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Rose won 35 points for her house in 4 hours the next day, Hufflepuff was climbing fast on top of everyone. The badger common room celebrated every point, not only happy they that they now had the chance of winning the House Cup; if not on how the points were earned by the learning of the members of the house.

Rose had learned not only that Hufflepuff celebrated achievements and offered moral support for failures, but that it branded them weak and idiotic. The house also got along well with the Slytherins, who suffered severe discrimination. When the two houses had classes together, they were quick to mingle with each other.

Evans made friends in Slytherin that she never thought of making. Draco Malfoy was judgmental, and he used to criticize Hufflepuff a lot whenever he got the chance, but Theodore Nott used to shut him up whenever he could, and Rose found herself practically driven to befriend the boy.

The raven-haired snake accepted the red-haired badger's friendship, and as the weeks passed, Rose became another friend: Blaise Zabini had some prejudices against Muggle-borns, but somehow, he liked Evans. Two girls, Tracey Davis and Daphne Greengrass, joined the group of friends.

Rose felt lucky: she had a giant group of friends. Although some didn't want to hang out with each other (Gryffindors and Slytherins), Rose felt lucky. At the orphanage, she had never had friends before, and now she had so many that her fingers couldn't reach.

Ron, Harry, Seamus, Dean, Neville, Hermione, Hannah, Megan, Susan, Leanne, Leila, Cedric, Cho, Michael, Padma, Blaise, Theodore, Tracey, and Daphne.

She had 19 friends! (Not counting the teachers).

When she went from orphanage to orphanage or went through foster care, she isolated herself. She preferred to be alone. It's not like I have a choice.

No child in the orphanage was kind, not to each other or outsiders. Rose, raised in one, knew better than anyone. The girl preferred to take it as an emotional defense mechanism, not to get attached to someone; It would be stupid if someone did it in an orphanage or foster care. Caregivers came and went, as did peers: not being attached to them was the best option for those living in an orphanage.

The orphanage ... I didn't miss it at all. But she mentioned it several times, thoughts about her "home" preferring to run through her head and roll through her mouth.

At the orphanage, Rose had a fairly structured routine. Both the midwives and the children had a strict schedule to follow. They, the children, got up, bathed, ate, went to classes (Rose remembered despising religion classes, now discovering she was a witch, even more). It was something useful, since it provided structure and order in life, exhausted; but useful.

Despite being surrounded by people at all hours of the day, orphanage life can be lonely. Rose, who spent her entire life in orphanages, had learned to depend on herself. Maybe because the caregivers weren't the best, and the older she got, the less attention they paid her. Children were easy to trust, but adults? Rose liked them, but she didn't trust them.

It was like the development of survival skills. Maybe not life or death, but to deal with responsibilities and tough thoughts. A mechanical form of intense coping that children shouldn't really have to develop, but that was the life it had given Rose.

Children who were, unfortunately, orphans (either by death or neglect, like Rose) were tough. Trauma was like her air, and while it was funny to think about it, it was hard to face. For Rose, being abandoned meant low self-esteem; insecurities, fear of disappointment. The book Rose had read, and the doctor the social worker had taken her to, diagnosed it as PTSD of neglect.

Rose remembered reading it, crying, and breaking it.

Her symptoms repelled Rose, but it etched them in her mind:

_Fear of being left behind or abandoned._

_Inability to form healthy relationships in adolescence or adulthood._

_Low self-esteem and feelings of self-worth._

_Anxiety and insecurity._

_Depression_.

_Feelings of helplessness, inadequacy, "not enough"._

_"Checking" relationships or friendships, feeling detached or emotionally unavailable to connect._

_Holding on to a relationship, even if it is unhealthy or abusive, to avoid any feelings of abandonment or loneliness._

_Episodes of self-injurious behavior._

_Fear of conflict within a relationship, or avoiding conflict at all costs._

_Avoiding all relationships or friendships._

_An excessive and pronounced need for control, whether over the environment, other people, or situations._

_Self-judgment and setting unrealistic expectations, perfectionism._

_Reacting to situations at either, for example, reacting too much or not at all too difficult situations_

_Emotional flashbacks, which lead to feelings of intense emotional distress or panic._

She had had therapies for a while, but only 6 sessions. The therapist spoke to himself, as Rose preferred not to utter a word.

Shame used to run through her daily. Sometimes she wet the bed, other times the pillow with her tears. She remembered that in one orphanage (in which Rose had stayed at age 7), the girls with whom she shared the room, slept on the floor, they refused to even touch the bed. Rose didn't understand it until she was 9 years old.

But Rose was no longer 9 years old, she was 11. She could no longer wet the bed or cry because of an abandonment that occurred almost eleven years ago.

Rose preferred to ignore the fact that she wasn't okay. 

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The next day, Fred Weasley divided his time between observing Rose and taking care of his brother.

It was not a simple task at all. George was more annoying than everything that day, but Fred could understand that it was because of the pain in his stomach. Lee had made him tea and a simple meal for George to eat.

Rose was a strange subject. She knew how to hide from the view of others, but Fred had a little trick up his sleeve: The Marauders Map has never been so wonderful to Fred.

She spent time in the library, with her friends (one of them being Ron, his little brother) and in their common room. He thought he saw her at Black Lake with her housemates, Megan Jones and Hannah Abbott, but when he looked back again; she was gone.

"Seriously, she is like a fucking snake." George laughed at his commentary. 

"Maybe she noticed that you were harassing her." Alicia Spinnet laugh.

"Who you were harassing, Frederick?" Percy, his big brother, asked while raising his eyebrow. 

"I am not harassing no one!" Fred said. "Do you know Rose Evans?"

"Ah, Rose." Percy answered, and nodded his head. "She is very famous upon here. Pe- A friend talks a lot about her. Cho Chang, a friend of my ... friend, talks a lot about her."

"See! Even Percy the Prefect knows about her." Fred exclaimed. "Do you talk with her?"

Percy ignored the nickname and answered. "I come of talking with her. She was at the library, reading a Muggle book, and she gave it to me. Nice girl." 

"Library?" Fred got up from his seat and ran to the library. "Thank you, Percy the Prefect!"

Fred never ran that fast. His long legs, accustomed to speed, collided with a table when he entered the library. Mrs. Pince gave him a critical look that he ignored as he looked at Rose. He walked over to the table where the young woman was sitting and glided in front of her with a big smile.

"There you are!" he exclaimed. Rose looked up.

"Sh!" Mrs. Pince said, frowning.

"Sorry." Fred said and looked back to the girl. "Like I was saying. There you are."

"Do you need something, Fred?"

"Why you were avoiding me?"

"Avoiding you?" Rose said with a confused look. "I was not avoiding you. I was avoiding Malfoy, that arrogant.. human being." 

"Oh.."

"Did you need me for something?"

"Yes." Fred said, leaning forward. "How did you know about George and his pain?"

"I read your mind." 

"What?" Fred exclaimed. 

"Out!" Mrs. Pince screamed.

Rose sighed and stood next to Fred.

"Come with me, Weasley."

The two of them walked together towards the Black Lake.

"Did you really read my mind?"

"Isn't it normal?"

"No! Only those wizards who can handle Legilimency do that. Have you learned about Legilimency?"

"I have read some of it, but I didn't know it was that hard. I looked into your eyes and I know it." Rose blushed hard.

"Well, that means you are powerful!" Fred laughed. "Is not a bad thing, little Rosie, really."

" _Little Rosie_?" the girl asked.

"That is your nickname now. All of my friends have one: George is Georgie, Lee is L, Alicia is Ali, Angelina is Lina, Oliver is Woodie, Ron is Ronniekins, Harry is.."

"Friends?" Rose said, looking at him. The sun flashing into her beautiful face. 

"Sure! Don't you think after last night we aren't friends?" Fred smiled.

"... You're right. Friends." Rose smiled big. "Why _'little Rosie'_?"

"Because you are really, _really_ , small."

"I'm not that short!"

"Yes, you are!"

"That you are as tall as a pole is not my fault."

"Oh shut it, little Rosie."

"You shut it, _Garfield_." Rose rolled her eyes in a funny way. 

"Garfield?" Fred asked in a curious tone. 

"Is the most famous ginger cat in the world. An animated cartoon."

"Uh, you are calling me famous."

"And a cat."


	4. the Marauder's Map

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The more time Rose spent at Hogwarts, the more dangerous and fun the time became. She'd spent hours and hours with the Weasley twins, and when they weren't around (or were planning pranks that still wouldn't let her join in), she'd hang out with Harry, Ron, and Hermione (she had to divide her time, Ron and Hermione seemed hate each other).

One night, while Rose was sleeping like a baby; Hermione, Harry and Ron were running away from Filch, but they ended up with a giant 3 headed dog. Each one told her differently, of course.

Hermione complained for two hours until they finished all the scrolls that the professors give. She constantly repeated; _"Ronald is a very incoherent boy"_. Among all the complaints about that style, the one with the puffy hair told her that that 3-headed beast was taking care of something.

Ron told her, with prominent emotion, when Rose loaned him all of her scrolls to copy. _"The thing had three colossal heads! And it was trying to kill us! Its breath was hideous, but it was incredible!"_ Peeves had helped Filch not find them, and Rose smiled as she nodded, seeing that the poltergeist had honored the deal they had.

Harry commented on this while Rose was helping him make the scrolls. His summary was quite lengthy and rambling, but Rose understood it so easily that it scared her. They had gone since Malfoy had challenged him to a wizarding duel (Rose frowned. The heads of the houses had to supervise the wizarding duel, and at least two adults centered in that area, had to be there. She warned Harry between laughs). Malfoy had set him up; there was no duel, and he had been the one who commanded Filch. Hermione had followed them to scold them (or supervise, Rose thought), and ended up entangled in that problem; They had also included Neville, who was reclining in a hallway because he had forgotten the password to the Gryffindor common room.

A very crazy day.

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The next day was a complete laugh for Rose. It all started when in the morning, after Rose had greeted all her friends (and gave Harry her condolences on the death of her parents), Hermione had gotten up from the Gryffindor table and walked with Rose to the Hufflepuff table. .

"I thought you didn't break the rules, Mione." Rose scoffed.

Hermione snorted and replied as she greeted the Hufflepuff girls.

"There is no rule or law that prohibits it, so technically, I am not breaking any rules." Hermione gave her a smile. "Besides, I couldn't keep living with those two, less with Ronald."

"I think you like him." Susan said, smiling at Hermione. "You talk about him all the time."

"To complain!" Hermione exclaimed, as red as Rose's hair. "There is no way I can ever like Ronald."

"Let's make a deal," Rose said, helping herself to as much fruit as she could. "If you come to like Ron before we finish our.. fifth year, you're going to give me what I want. If you don't like him before our fifth year, I'll give you what you want."

"Fourth and nothing else." Hermione said, frowning in a funny way.

"Deal!"

The owls were flying around the Great Hall as usual, but everyone's attention was directly set on a long, thin package, carried by 6 white owls. They were flying towards Harry, and they dropped the package in front of him.

Rose looked at Professor McGonagall. She had been the one who helped keep Harry on the Gryffindor Quidditch team. She had a smile and was gently stroking Hedwig, Harry's owl.

The two Gryffindor boys ran out of the Great Hall.

"You see?" Hermione exclaimed. "Professor McGonagall congratulates Harry with a gift for risking his life! And Ronald supports him."

"Oh, leave poor Harry out of this, Mione. He just wanted to help Neville. The thing that was wrong was the other night." Rose said, eating a chocolate muffin. "They really know nothing about magical duels."

"Boys." Leila said with a laugh.

The hours passed quickly, and even though Rose laughed like never, there were problems. Malfoy and Harry's rivalry, which was tremendously ridiculous (all because Harry preferred someone who won't insult his friends). Hermione's presence would irritate Ron so much, and it would reverse as well; they really were like an old married couple, only at 11 years old. The curious pain Harry was in from his scar.

Rose spent the entire afternoon (after completing all of her scrolls and loaning them to Harry and Ron) finding out about scars made by dark magic, but clearly, there was not one that told all the consequences of having survived an Avada Kedavra, already that no one but Harry had survived to tell the tale. So Rose started doing her own research.

Before Harry goes to his "practice" with Oliver Wood, the Gryffindor Quidditch captain, Rose questioned him. All the symptoms that Harry had thanks to his scar ended up on a sheet written by the redhead girl.

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Rose didn't know when so much time had passed, but her busy nights took full control of her schedule. Nightmares flooded her mind all night, so she preferred to stay and find out from others. She had gathered interesting information about her teachers and fellow students. Beyond the need to know if there were risks or dangers, she felt comfortable knowing if she could help others with something. It made her more comfortable investigating those around her to find out who was the greatest threat, or who she should help / care for the most.

Her primary target was Severus Snape, her "friend" and Potions teacher. Rose's watchful eyes had caught Voldemort's mark on his arm, yet she remained silent. She didn't completely trust Dumbledore, but she believed he would not put a potential threat at the school, _or so Rose preferred to believe_. Rose guessed it was an insider for both parties, regretting being a Death Eater.

With the help of the Weasley twins, who introduced her to the source of being able to prank or escape without being caught, the Marauder's Map came to rest in her hands. Escaping the Hufflepuff common room was easy if the Helga Hufflepuff painting loved you, and Rose; a girl easy to love, it was something very simple.

The Marauder's map worked differently for Rose than it did for the twins. It was more.. interactive with Rose. There were several times _the Marauders_ had 'chatted' with her; It was a free and captivating experience. She could say things to them she did not dare to say to others. Mr. Moony was always the best adviser, Mr. Padfoot always laughed at her comments, Mr. Prongs had been interested in Rose from the beginning because of her last name; Evans. It was also the last name of Lily Evans, a girl whom Prongs liked very much. Mr. Wormtail gave her new recipes to try. It was a lot of fun and relaxing talking to them, and the twins told her they didn't need it; they knew all the passages necessary to escape.

Her nightly investigations led her to find out interesting things, like that Prongs was actually James Potter; Harry's father. She decided not to say anything about him for now, nor to Harry, who was stressed enough with Quidditch.

The people were right; Harry was just like his father, he had everything but his eyes, Prongs's being brown (similar to hers, strangely) and Harry's a strong green (same as Lily Evans', which Rose ended up discovering was Harry's mother).

The 1978 yearbooks, which Rose found with Moony's help, were scrutinized from cover to cover. She discovered that Professor Snape went to Hogwarts at the same time as the Marauders and Lily Evans. Her Potions teacher had graduated with the best second GPA, Lily Evans being first, Remus Lupin (whom Rose discovered was Moony) third; James Potter in fourth place and Sirius Black (the funny and rebellious Padfoot) in eighth. Peter Pettigrew (better known as Wormtail to Rose) had not earned a degree for best average, as he was not as interested in study as he was interested in food.

That night, Rose had fallen into bed; a total tip (order) from Prongs. But hours later, she had awakened drenched in sweat and shivering from a nightmare; It had been horrible. A thunderous laugh had echoed in her ears, and a green light had dazzled her eyes in horror. In the morning she was terribly tired, her obsessive research had really worn her out, and soon Moony's voice (or rather handwriting) warning her she was not okay broke into her mind. She had slept for two hours, and her scars seemed to want to hurt more than anything.

She was not paying attention in her classes, and Harry and her friends had to keep pushing her to wake her up. Although she answered and did correctly everything that the teachers showed.

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Maybe it was that Rose had never enjoyed Halloween, but actually that day had never been so bad.

It all started in the morning, when she got up and she realized she was bleeding from down there. With shame and her face redder than her hair, she had to ask Alice, the prefect, for help. Later, two of her scars bled; that had to solve it alone.

In the Great Hall, the one who had previously considered the delicious aroma of roasted pumpkin, wanted to make her vomit. The first piece of good news of the day was that Professor Flitwick announced in her Charms class that she thought they were ready to blow up objects; which Rose knew how to do, but had never practiced. Professor Flitwick put the class in pairs to practice. Rose and Leila ended up paired up, and with a smile, they tickled the feathers on their desks. Harry ended up paired with Seamus, and Rose feared that her two friends would lose eyebrows. Her fear was when Professor Flitwick brought Ron and Hermione together; Rose's brown eyes widened quickly.

"Now, don't forget that nice wrist movement we've been practicing!" squeaked Professor Flitwick, perched on top of his pile of books as usual. "Swish and flick, remember, swish and flick. And saying the magic words properly is very important, too - never forget Wizard Baruffio, who said 's' instead of 'f' and found himself on the floor with a buffalo on his chest."

It was easy for Rose, knowing the technique. She was the first to do so, earning 10 points for Hufflepuff. She soon started showing Leila that she succeeded after 2 attempts.

Her sight went to Ron and Hermione's table, just like Harry's. They both raised an eyebrow nervously.

"Wingardium leviosa!" he yelled, waving her long arms like a windmill.

"Stop, stop, stop. You're saying it wrong." Rose heard Hermione snap. "It's Win- _gar_ -dium levi- _o_ -sa, not levio-sa, make the 'gar' nice and long."

"You do it, then, if you're so clever." Ron snarled.

Hermione rolled up the sleeves of her gown, flicked her wand, and said: "Wingardium Leviosa!"

Their feather rose off the desk and hovered about four feet above their heads. 

"Well done!" shouted Professor Flitwick, clapping his hands. "5 points to Gryffindor!"

Ron was in a terrible mood by the end of the class. 

Rose sighed, knowing the avalanche of complaints was coming as soon as she was with them.

When the class ended, she wanted to run, but Harry quickly grabbed her arm before she even had a chance.

"I will not take this alone. Let's go."

Rose sighed, and joined by arms, the two walked with Ron.

"It's no wonder no one can stand her," he said to them as they pushed their way into the crowded corridor, "she's a nightmare, honestly."

"Don't say that things, Ron! She is my friend, you ugly squashed pumpkin."

Someone hit Harry and Rose as they rushed past them. It was Hermione. Harry glimpsed her face and was surprised to see that she was crying. Rose quickly broke free of the jet's grip and ran after her puffy-haired friend.

"Ron.."

"Yes?"

"Besides Hermione listening to you, Rose just got mad." Harry said, his jaw twisting.

"Are we in trouble?" Ron asked, seeing where the girls had gone.

"Yes."

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"Oh, Mione. Don't pay attention to Ron; he's ... he's Ron. He thinks the 3-headed dog is exciting."

"B-but he's right. I-I don't have friends." Hermione sobbed, her hiccups ringing between words.

"So what am I?" Rose said, feigning an offended expression. Her arm fell on the girl's shoulders. "You are my best friend, Hermione. The best I can have."

Hermione stopped sobbing and looked at Rose with bright, tear-filled eyes.

"Best— Best friend?"

"The best." Rose smiled, stroking Hermione's hair.

Hermione looked at her with her mouth slightly open, and soon she embraced Rose in a hug.

"I never had a best friend, well, I never had a friend." she cried in Rose's arms.

The redhead smiled softly at her and returned the hug.

"Me neither, Mione, me neither."

Rose frowned, wrinkling her nose.

"Do you smell that?"

"What—?" Hermione copied her friend.

A strong and strange smell reached the girls; a mixture of dirty socks and a public bathroom that nobody cleans. Grunting and heavy, clumsy footsteps. The two of them saw him then, in the rickety bathroom light. He was over three and a half meters tall, with stone-gray skin, a huge deformed body and a small bald head. It had short legs, thick like tree trunks, and squat, misshapen feet. He carried a large wooden staff that he dragged across the ground.

There was a giant troll with his back to them, _locked_ in with them.

Hermione let out a high-pitched cry of fear, and Rose momentarily forgot about any spell. She felt like just another muggle.

"Watch out!" Rose screamed, dodging the bat by inches.

Harry and Ron, presumed guilty of the lockdown, rushed into the bathroom, evading the troll.

Hermione was crouched against the opposite wall, looking of being about to faint. The misshapen character was advancing toward her, crashing into the sinks.

"Rose, watch out!" Harry yelled desperately, seeing how the red-haired girl was trying to distract the deformed troll with clumsy steps. "Ron, help me distract him!"

Harry threw a faucet at him, and Ron picked up the broken tile on the floor.

The troll stopped a few steps from Rose. He swayed, blinking stupidly, to see who had made that noise. His evil eyes detected Harry. He hesitated and then lunged at him, raising his cane.

"Hey, pea brain!" Ron yelled from the other end, throwing a metal pipe at the troll. The misshapen thing didn't seem to notice the pipe hitting him on the back, but he heard the scream and stopped again, turning his hideous snout toward Ron and giving Harry time to run.

"This way, useless!" Rose screamed.

Soon, the two redheads confused him, and Rose remembered spells, but when she reached for her wand, she saw it lying very close to the misshapen.

"Come on, run, run!" Harry yelled at Hermione, trying to push her towards the door, but the girl couldn't move. She was still crouched against the wall, her mouth hanging open in fear.

The screams and the blows seemed to have driven the troll mad. She turned and faced Ron, who was closer and had no way to escape.

Then Harry did something very brave and idiotic: he ran, taking a great leap and hung himself, from behind, on the neck of that monster. The atrocious creature did not realize that Harry was hanging from its back, but even such a being could feel it if one stuck a wooden stick in its nose, for Harry's wand was still in his hand when he jumped and had entered directly into one of the troll's nostrils. However, that did not seem to distract him as much as the boy expected.

Rose sighed, and in a terrible act of bravery, copied her friend's action. Her small body latched onto Harry's side, and before the troll could even do anything to him, Rose dug her nails into his eyes. Despite not having them that long or sharp, they hurt and practically blinded her.

Screaming in pain; the troll stirred and shook his staff, children hanging from his neck and fighting for their lives. At any moment, the monster would tear them apart, or deal a terrible blow with its staff.

"Rose, watch out!" Ron yelled.

The bat hit the girl's leg, breaking it. The scream Rose let out was the last thing to stun the troll.

Hermione was lying on the ground, terrified. Ron drew his own wand, not knowing what he was going to do; and the first spell that occurred to him was heard screaming:

_"Wingardium leviosa!"_

The staff flew out of the troll's hands, soared high up, then spun around and slammed down on its owner's head. The troll swayed and fell facedown with a noise that shook the room.

Harry got up and took Rose in his arms. The girl had not stopped crying and complaining of pain.

"Rose, Rosie. Easy." Harry stroked the redhead's head, but that wasn't enough to calm her down. His green eyes caught the scars on her best friend's back, narrowed them; believing to see bad, but they were still there.

Hermione calmed her breathing and spoke.

"Is he... dead? Is Rose badly hurt?"

"I don't think he's dead." Harry said. "I guess he's passed out. And yes, Rose is terribly hurt."

He leaned down and withdrew his wand from the troll's nose. It was covered in a gray jelly.

"Yuck.. gross."

He wiped it on the troll's skin, letting Rose give a laugh that was combined with a grunt of pain.

A sudden slam of the door and heavy footsteps made all four jump. They hadn't realized all the noise they had made, but of course they must have heard the knocks below, the troll's growls, and Rose's screams. A moment later, Professor McGonagall hurried into the room, followed by Snape and Quirrell, leading the way. Quirrell glanced at the monster. A groan escaped him, and he flopped into a toilet, clutching his chest.

Snape leaned over the troll. Professor McGonagall was looking at Ron and Harry. They had never seen her so angry. Her lips were white. Hopes of winning fifty points for Gryffindor quickly faded from Harry's mind.

Quickly Professor McGonagall's angry look turned to horror when she saw Rose; the redhead was sweating, crying in pain, in Harry's arms.

"Severus! Take Rose to the infirmary! Quick!" yelled Professor McGonagall. Snape complied without thinking and, to Harry's regret, tore the young redhead from his arms.

The man carried her and hurried to the hospital wing.

"How has this happened, Miss Rose? Can you respond or does it hurt too much?" Professor Snape asked, concern seeping into her voice.

"The - the troll bat. I was, I was trying-" Rose stuttered.

"Severus, what happened to Flint now-? Oh my Merlin!" Madam Pomfrey screamed, horrified seeing the bloody Rose. "Lay her down on the stretcher, quick!"

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A week's rest, that's what Madam Pomfrey ordered. Rose did not complain, she had never suffered so much physical pain as the one she felt with her broken leg.

All her friends visited her as soon as they could; the entire school had found out what happened. They left her lots of sweets, and Megan brought her a woolen blanket, for which Rose was deeply grateful; It was freezing in the hospital wing, and the bedspreads there were as thin as the beds in the orphanage.

Fred and George didn't bring her candy, but two bowls of fruit, and the Marauders map. The boys's cheeks were red from so many kisses that Rose gave them with emotion; She wasn't very sleepy, and the Marauders could talk as much as Rose wanted.

And so it was, when everyone slept, and only the dim light of the nightstand next to Rose illuminated their space; with the curtains closed, Rose opened the map.

"Hello guys." Rose mumbled.

 _"You were late, did something happen?"_ Moony asked.

"A troll broke my leg." Rose blurted out.

 _"A troll broke your leg- what!"_ exclaimed ( _how can you exclaim by typing_ , Rose wondered) Prongs. _"How does a troll break your leg? Are you okay? You should rest."_

Rose explained everything that had happened, hesitating a bit before mentioning her friends.

 _"... Go to sleep, Rosie."_ Padfoot said.

"But-"

 _"Rose,"_ Moony said. _"go to sleep."_

 _"You can talk to us tomorrow."_ Wormtail opined.

 _"Heal and sleep. If you have a nightmare, you can talk to us. Make sure you keep warm."_ Prongs finished.

Rose smiled softly, and taking her wand, she spoke.

"Mischief Managed."


	5. Quidditch Match

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November was colder than ever, and the Hufflepuff common room was filling with blankets and warm clothing. Rose was wrapped in coats and a thick scarf that morning.

The Quidditch season was just about to start, Harry was more anxious than anything as on Saturday he would play his first match. Rose, along with her other friends, were making crafts for Gryffindor (favoring Harry for moral support). Rose was very busy those weeks, between studying, helping Harry, Ron and Seamus with homework, trying to spend time with all their friends, and living. 

Being friends with Harry Potter meant being thrown into trouble very unconsciously.

Hermione had become more flexible with breaking the rules since the troll; the three of them had become nicer to each other, and Rose was very happy about that. The day before Harry's first game, the four of them were out on the frozen patio during recess, and Granger had made a bright blue fire appear, which they could take with them, in a jam jar. Their backs were to the fire to warm themselves when Snape crossed the courtyard. Right away, Rose noticed that Snape was limping (she reminded herself to ask him what happened next).

"Cover the fire, quick!" Rose exclaimed softly, remembering that it wasn't allowed. However, Snape paid no attention to the fire, and instead went against Harry.

"What do you have there, Potter?" he spated.

It was the Quidditch book that Rose herself gave him, Harry showed him.

"Library books cannot be checked out outside of school." Snape told him. "Give it to me. Five points from Gryffindor. Miss Rose, go put on a robe before I score points from Hufflepuff too."

"Yes sir." she murmured, giving him a tight smile.

"He must have made up that rule," Harry muttered angrily, handing his robe to Rose as Snape limped away. "I wonder what's wrong with his leg."

"I don't know, but I hope it hurts a lot," Ron said bitterly, fixing Rose's scarf to hide the Gryffindor crest.

"Is not good to wish bad happens, Ron."

"Well, to Snape yes." he replied.

She sighed and looked at Hermione, who smiled softly at her as she pulled her hair out of her robe.

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Despite being there many times, the Gryffindor common room was always a renewed experience for Rose. The red that flooded the whole place, with small golden statues of lions above the burning fireplace, the smell of old parchment and fresh ink filled the space. Older students practiced spells and prepared for their next exams. That night, the common room was louder than ever before, the Golden Quartet perched near the window, pressed against each other. Rose's head rested on Ron's shoulder, her legs on Harry's lap, and her feet gently brushed against Hermione's thighs.

Hermione and she were supposed to be helping them with Charms homework, going over it. Unlike Rose, Hermione never let them cheat (how are you going to learn, the one with the puffy hair would complain), but if they asked her to review the papers she would explain the answers.

Harry was restless, Rose could feel it. He looked around from time to time, and his hands clenched her calves with a force she didn't know Harry had. He pulled up his glasses every time they slipped down his nose, and his mouth twisted the same way Rose did when she was concentrating. Rose had given him the Quidditch book to keep his mind occupied, but Snape had taken it from him.

He ran her legs with more force than necessary, sitting her up in one go; Rose's eyes went wide and she had to grab the chair to steady herself. Harry apologized and told them that he was going to ask Snape if he could return the book to him.

"I would not do that." Ron and Hermione told him, helping Rose up.

"I accompany you." Rose murmured, gently scratching his eyes.

"That's better!" Ron commented. "We all know that Snape has a strange fascination for you, Rosie."

"Ha-Ha, so funny, Ronnie."

Harry and she left the common room. He had taken her by the hand to make her walk faster, since Rose was still dozing upright. They went down to the staff room and Harry called. There was no answer. He called again. Nothing. The two looked at each other and shrugged at the same time.

"We open?" Harry muttered to her.

"It's worth a try, H."

He nodded awkwardly and pushed the door a little, looking before entering. "Rosie.."

"What?"

"Watch this.."

Snape and Filch were there, alone. Snape had his robe pulled up above his knees. One of his legs was bruised and covered in blood. Filch was handing him some bandages.

"That damn thing ..." Snape said. "How can one watch three heads at the same time?"

"Come on, come on Harry!" Rose exclaimed as low as she could.

Harry tried to shut the door quietly, but ...

"POTTER! E-EVANS!"

"Good night professor." Rose said with an innocent smile.

Snape's face was twisted with fury and he dropped his robes quickly, to hide his injured leg. Harry gulped.

"GOOD NIGHT PROFESSOR?" he growled.

"I wanted to- uh- I wanted to know if you could give me the book back." Harry said nervously.

"OUT! OUT OF HERE!"

Harry left the staff room, tugging on Rose's hand to move her, but the girl resisted and looked him in the eye with a soft little smile,

"You go, I'll go later." Harry looked at her uncertainly. "Go Harry. I'll be there in a second."

Snape looked at her seriously, his cheeks still red with anger. "How can you come here at this hour for a stupid thing like that book, Miss Rose?"

"In my defense, Harry is one of my best friends, and I give that book to him, Professor. I never meant to cause any problems, just relax a friend." Rose struggled to sit on the stool behind her. "That seems to hurt, professor."

He just grunted and took the book, lazily stretching it out. "Go to your common room, Miss Rose; before I decide to score points from Hufflepuff."

"Thanks a lot!" she exclaimed with a big smile. She ran off to the Gryffindor common room again. She came in greeting the Fat Lady with compliments, since she had forgotten the password.

As soon as she entered, she made her way to her three first-year friends, greeting the twins and Lee on the way.

"Here you have." Rose handed the robe and book to Harry.

"And you say that Snape doesn't have a preference with you." Ron muttered in amazement.

"Shut up." she told him, dropping a kiss on Hermione's cheek and others on the boys's cheeks. "See you tomorrow. Everything will be fine, H."

Her three young friends went to their bedrooms, and Rose intended to leave, only to be taken by the arm by Fred.

"Won't you say goodbye to us?" he murmured, looking at her with a pout. "She forgot about us, L, Georgie."

"Absolutely right, Freddie." George followed suit.

"I'm sleepy: it's not my fault." she justified herself.

"Well, we want our kiss goodnight too." said Fred. His freckles stood out under the fire in the fireplace.

She sighed and stretched, dropping a kiss first to Lee's forehead.

"Good luck commenting tomorrow, L."

"Thank you very much, Rosie! Finally someone takes my work into account." Lee said groggily.

Rose kissed George's head. "Don't break anything tomorrow."

"I should tell you that." he replied with a smile.

And then Rose put a kiss on Fred's cheek; Chills ran through her body, but she knew how to hide them. "And you don't break anyone tomorrow."

"Ouch, little Rosie, do you distrust me so much?"

"Of your strength, Garfield." the girl laughed. "See you tomorrow."

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Hufflepuff's first year girls' dorm was the most diverse room Rose has ever been in. Each girl had her way of organization, and her predestined place. For example, Rose had her part fairly neat and put away, with assorted books on her desk and dresser, scrolls and sealed inks strewn about her bed, as well as several shaggy blankets.

Hannah had everything folded, stored, and organized by color and style. A muggle music player with a magic developer perched on the corner of her desk, some nail polish was strewn about.

Susan was the most disorganized, but somehow she managed to find everything very quickly. She had pictures with her Aunt Amelia hanging from a string Rose had pinned to her headboard, as did many Muggle mystery books.

Leila was a mix between order and comfort; the beauty and care magazines were diverse on her bed, some reaching even under the bed. She had many scarves that her mother knitted in her trunk, so many that she could no longer close it, so it was only slightly open.

Megan had been very organized at first, but as the months went by, order became less important to her; She started putting her things away at 2 in the morning because she felt very uncomfortable, but the following week everything was scattered again. It was a very interesting routine.. and strange. She had lots of sweaters, and hair clips shaped like little butterflies.

Leanne was terribly bossy with her command, but she didn't criticize others as long as it didn't affect her. The books were stacked in two long piles on the sides of the desks, the scrolls folded and the inks on their sides. The feathers had been put in a small square bowl, and her clothes were perfectly clean in her closet.

"Rose, did you see my scarf? I can't find it anywhere— Oh, stop! I already found it!" Susan exclaimed, her red hair tied up in a messy half ponytail.

"Hurry up!" yelled Megan. "We are going to be late for breakfast!"

Rose then remembered, and her skin paled, highlighting her freckles. "I have to go see Harry!"

"Eat something!" Hannah reminded her as she ran to her side.

The morning that day was very bright and cold. Rose adjusted her yellow sweater inside her skirt as she ran over to where her young Gryffindor friends were. The Great Hall was flooded with the delicious aroma of fried sausages and the cheerful chatter of everyone, waiting for a good game of Quidditch. Harry in the distance was shaking his head, while Hermione, Ron and Seamus spoke to him.

She jogged, very agitated, and sat between Harry and Dean.

"What happen?" Rose asked interspersing her gaze between Hermione and Harry.

"He doesn't want to eat." Hermione replied, handing her the plate of muffins.

Rose instantly looked at Harry with a serious look. She knew what it was like to starve, and she was pretty sure he did too. Playing a game or anything with the empty stomach would be the worst decision Potter could make.

"Open your mouth," she told him, and Harry complied instantly, noticing her gaze. Rose tossed him some toast, and filled his plate with eggs and sausages. "You have to eat something, Haz. You are a seeker, this is going to be your first game. If you want everything to go well, eat something, please."

They ate breakfast in peace, with Harry eating under Rose's gaze, and every bite he took was every bite Rose ate. Fred and George were laughing a few seats away from her, giggling at the threatening image of little Rose.

At 10:10 in the morning, they had to organize to go out. Rose began to say hello and cheer to all her friends on the team.

"You're going to be great, H. You've been training for this for a long time, and I'm pretty sure your play is going to turn out very well." She kissed the boy's forehead, standing on tiptoe. "Lee, you're going to comment so well that I'm going to support you instead of these. George, Fred; hit hard but try not to kill or kill yourself, please. Angelina, Alicia; you are going to be as good as you are at everything they do, you are the best, girls.. "Rose continued to greet the entire team, providing motivation that they had not thought necessary until they were given it.

"Wait, Rosie!" Fred exclaimed before leaving, the bells announcing that the teams had to start forming. He had a knitted Gryffindor cap in his hands. "Put it on, it's cold outside. Plus, it matches the team you're supporting."

"Weasley!"

Fred didn't say anything, he just winked at her and ran.

Rose couldn't help but notice how her cheeks turned just as red as her hair, but she preferred to ignore it as she walked with her Gryffindor friends. We can say that Seamus almost lost his eyebrows again for teasing her.

They settled into the Gryffindor bleachers, Rose greeted her friends from afar, who wore their faces decorated with the colors of the Lions' house.

"Help me with the sheet." Ron said, struggling to hold it up. Between her and Hermione, they helped him keep it flat so Harry could read what it said.

It was a big, battered sheet (Scabbers, Ron's rat, the culprit). It was red, with little black and gold spots of dripping paint. Dean had drawn a large lion that roared and raised its claws, and Rose had enchanted and painted big: **Potter; President**. Hermione had performed a little spell and the paint was glowing, changing color.

Rose, that same morning at breakfast, had painted two red and gold stripes on her friends' cheeks and on hers. So all the friends she and Harry shared had their faces painted, showing their support.

"They are there!" Hermione yelled, waving one hand where the Gryffindor team exited. Harry was pale, the nerves etched in his face, his green eyes surveying the whole place; and Rose raised her hand euphoria, drawing his attention. A smile spread across her thin face.

They mounted their brooms, and Rose peered at the match.

Mrs. Hooch gave a long blast on her silver whistle. Fifteen brooms rose high, too high, and too far.

"And the Quaffle is immediately caught by Angelina Johnson from Gryffindor ... What an excellent hunter this young woman is and, by the way, she's also very pretty ..."

"JORDAN!"

"Sorry, Professor."

Rose laughed as her gaze traveled from the twins to Harry, and so on again.

"And she's really belting along up there, a neat pass to Alicia Spinnet, a good find of Oliver Wood's, last year only a reserve- back to Johnson and- no, the Slytherins have taken the Quaffle, Slytherin Captain Marcus Flint gains the Quaffle and off he goes- Flint flying like an eagle up there- he's going to sc- no, stopped by an excellent move by Gryffindor Keeper Wood and the Gryffindors take the Quaffle- that's Chaser Katie Bell of Gryffindor there, nice dive around Flint, off up the field and- OUCH- that must have hurt, hit in the back of the head by a Bludger- Quaffle taken by the Slytherins- that's Adrian Pucey speeding off toward the goal posts, but he's blocked by a second Bludger- sent his way by Fred or George Weasley, can't tell which- nice play by the Gryffindor Beater, anyway, and Johnson back in possession of the Quaffle, a clear field ahead and off she goes- she's really flying- dodges a speeding Bludger- the goal posts are ahead- come on, now, Angelina- Keeper Bletchley dives - misses- GRYFFINDORS SCORE!"

The Gryffindor bleachers cheered and shouted loudly, not caring about the cold air or the boos from the Slytherins.

Hagrid joined them shortly after, and Rose offered to paint his face; the half giant nodded like an excited cub.

In a matter of minutes the snitch was out, and Harry flew so fast that Rose lost him for a few seconds. They all seemed to have forgotten that they should keep playing as they watched Harry face Terence Higgs for the golden flash. The Gryffindor was close, but then Marcus Flint (captain of Slytherin) blocked his way, trying to divert him; he had to hold on to keep from falling.

"Lack!" the Gryffindors (and Rose) yelled angrily.

Mrs. Hooch yelled at Flint, and ordered a free throw for the lions team. Amid all the confusion, the golden snitch had disappeared again.

"Hey referee! Red card!" yelled Dean, flailing his hands very angry.

"This is not football, Dean." Rose reminded him, her cheeks and ears red. "They can't kick players out of Quidditch ... I think."

"What is a red card?" Ron asked confused.

"A red card shown by the referee indicates that a player has been sent off. A player who has been sent off is forced to leave the field of play immediately and no longer participate in the game."

Hagrid was on Dean's side, cheering loudly and angrily.

Lee Jordan had a hard time being impartial.

"So... after this obvious and nasty trap-"

"Jordan!" scolded Professor McGonagall.

"I mean, after this obvious and disgusting lack-"

"Jordan, don't say I didn't warn you...!"

"Okay, okay! Flint almost killed the Gryffindor seeker, which could happen to anyone, I'm sure, so Gryffindor penalty; Spinnet takes it, he shoots, nothing happens, and continues the game, Gryffindor still in possession of the ball. "

Rose's heart began to race as danger began to surround his friend on the broom. A bludger ran dangerously close to his head, thank God Harry nimbly dodged it. But then his broom gave a sudden and very terrifying shake. For a moment, Rose thought her best friend was going to fall, but he held on tight on his hands and knees. It happened again.

"What the fuck is wrong with Harry's broom!" she exclaimed.

"Language, Rose." Hermione hissed at her.

"Look at him, Hermione! He's going to kill himself!"

The broom looked like it wanted to knock him down, it seemed to be out of control. It zigzagged through the air and gave violent jerks that made Harry nearly fall. Lee kept commenting on the game, not noticing Harry, however soon people started pointing him out.

"What if something happened to him when Filch blocked his way?" Seamus whispered, eating some pumpkin sticks.

"Impossible." Hagrid said with his voice shaking. "Nothing can interfere with a broom, except powerful dark magic ... No boy can do that to a Nimbus 2,000-"

"Except if he knows 'dark' magic, and Filch is no good at his subjects." Rose interrupted, getting them to look at her. With a soft blush on her face, she murmured, "Theo told me."

Hermione took Hagrid's binoculars, searching frantically through the crowd.

"What are you doing?" Ron moaned with a pale face as he looked at Harry.

"I knew it." Hermione snorted. "Snape... Look."

"Give me over here." Rose muttered. Ron handed him the binoculars instantly.

Professor Snape was in the middle of the stands, muttering something non-stop as he looked at Harry, but Rose focused her binoculars on it. Quirrell was doing the same.

"Wait, Hermione!-"

But Rose's voice was already too far for Granger, who was already in the back of the stands where the teachers were. She was crouched down, and within seconds, blue fire flooded Snape's robes. She ran to the stands again, the blue fire in the flask.

Rose frowned, if her friends had already taken Snape as the main attacker, it was going to be impossible to change their thoughts. But to her, Snape hadn't been, but Quirrell. She wasn't stupid, she wasn't going to face the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher on her own; maybe she could talk to Snape, she was going to believe her.. or so she hoped.

Harry was speeding across the ground when they saw him put his hand to his mouth, as if he was dizzy.

"She's going to throw up!" Hagrid exclaimed.

But Harry didn't vomit, he just spat out a golden flash: Harry had spat the Snitch straight out of his mouth.

"Only these things happen to Harry..." Rose sighed, covering her face.

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That night Rose just began to reflect on what happened, with her curtains closed and three blankets covering her. Her scars burned as she stretched, and her hand brushed past injuries. They hadn't hurt this bad in a long time, but she seemed to care less when she squeezed her eyes shut.

She got up and walked slowly to the bathroom, summoning a glass with her wand. She turned on the tap, and while she drank the water, she thought about what had happened.

Hermione, Ron, and Harry had a theory that Snape had cursed Harry's broom. He had told them about the professor's injury, so they also added it to their theory. They had said how he had tried to pass for the three-headed dog (which Hagrid said was called Fluffy) on Halloween, and how the same dog had bitten him because he was trying to keep what the animal cared for. The same thing that the dog looked after, it was something that Dumbledore and Nicolas Flamel were guarding at school.

A sigh escaped her lips as she looked at herself in the mirror. Her reflection greeted her as a reminder of how devastated she was. She turned slowly, setting the glass on the corner of the sink. She took the corner of her shirt (Hannah's gift) and then lifted it with her fist hooked tightly. She repeated the movement with the other corner of her shirt until the shirt ended at her shoulders.

Her breasts were growing, but Rose didn't expect them to be too big from malnutrition and lack of vitamins. Rose herself wasn't very big, being too petite and small. Her stomach was flat, and her ribs jutted out sharply. Scars piled up on her sides, and some even spread around her stomach.

On her back, the scars piled up even more, they were uncountable, so much so that Rose had lost count years ago. They spread over every inch of her back, but focused on her spine and half of it. They wandered on her neck, and others on her arms. Her legs were the least scarred, but there were some, mostly on her thighs.

"Rose?"

Megan's murmur made Rose lower her shirt in a hurry: she left the bathroom and turned off the light in it.

"What's wrong, Megs?"

"You're good?" she whispered sitting on the bed. "You were in the bathroom a long time."

"Yes, yes. I was drinking water." she replied, lying down on her bed. "Sleep well."

"You too, rest, Merlin take care of you."

Rose smiled weakly, even though Megan couldn't see her, and closed her curtains. Today she was not going to have a good dream.


	6. what you wish the most

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Christmas was knocking on the door, as were the excitement and people eager to go home.

Not Rose's case at all.

Snow covered six feet of Hogwarts, and the Weasley twins had already been punished multiple times for spelling snowballs that hit the back of Quirrell's turban. Rose did too. Just no one suspected the model's first-year student.

Everyone was impatient for the holidays. Hufflepuff had become Rose's home and special place, where she could know that no one would disturb her. The fireplaces were lit all day, and the portrait of Helga Hufflepuff told the best stories as they snuggled into the comfortable blankets with the richest hot chocolate running down their throats. The corridors and the dungeons became the places most hated by the redhead, an icy wind ran through the corridors; an icy wind that not even the most scorching spell could warm it. The dungeons, where the breath was a frozen mist, kept them as close to the cauldrons as possible.

Rose had stayed at Hogwarts; Why should she bother going to the orphanage? She had no desire to put up with the other orphans. She wasn't the only one, Harry and the Weasleys were staying, but all of her other friends were leaving. Blaise, Daphne and Theo had told her about the ' _Yule Ball_ ', a traditional Christmas dance where all the Pureblood families would arrange all kinds of affairs: money, commitments, and meetings.

Speaking of Purebloods, Malfoy was more obnoxious than usual. He had been very resentful after the game, and Harry's hatred unleashed ten times worse. He would attack anyone close to Harry as well, but it directed the very direct hints from him at Potter more than anything.

"It hurts me a lot," Malfoy said in one of the Potions classes. Harry and Rose looked at the same time, rolling their eyes. "All those people who will have to stay for Christmas at Hogwarts because they don't want them at home."

As he spoke, he looked in Harry's direction.

"Calm down, Haz. Maybe our homes won't be the best," Rose said, finishing the potion, "but at least we're not such pathetic people who get upset over a lost match."

Malfoy blinked furiously in his direction and held his wand tightly, but when he raised it to Rose, Professor Snape appeared behind him.

"Malfoy!" he growled himself, grabbing him by his robe. "Take care to finish the potion before loitering in my class."

Rose smiled, and Harry and Ron giggled after her.

"Professor Snape." Rose said, walking towards him. "I've already finished the potion."

"Alright, go sit down, Miss Rose." said the professor, taking the potion delicately. "10 points to Hufflepuff for a well-brewed potion in a short time."

"Thanks a lot." she murmured with a proud smile.

When they left the dungeons, at the end of Potions class, they found a large fir tree that occupied the end of the hall. Two enormous feet appeared from under the tree and a great snort told them that Hagrid was behind them.

"Hello, Hagrid. Do you need help?" Ron asked, sticking his head through the branches.

"No, everything is fine. Thanks, Ron"

Rose stuck Ron's head out of the branches, scolding him for having done it in the first place.

"Would you mind getting out of the way?" Malfoy's cold, slimy voice came from behind. "What are you doing, Weasley? Are you trying to earn some extra money? I guess you want to be a ranger when you get out of Hogwarts... That Hagrid hut must look like a palace to you, compared to your family home."

Ron lunged at Malfoy, but Harry and Rose held him up.

"And don't even get me started on you, you _dirty half-blood_." Malfoy spat, fixing his gaze on the redheaded girl. "You think you are so brave, speaking badly without even looking at me. You're like a _Mudblood_ , only you're dressed in a half-blood mask. Either is as horrible as you, anyway."

Ron's ears reddened, but before he could get the wand out of him, Rose had already thrown herself on top of the boy. Her fist struck his face several times, and she didn't stop until she was lifted from the waist.

"MISS ROSE, RELAX THIS MOMENT!" Professor Snape exclaimed as Goyle and Crabbe, Malfoy's bodyguards, lifted the boy off the ground.

"You'll pay for them, _filthy Mudblood_!" he growled himself.

"MALFOY!"

"Do you want another beating, Malfoy?" the girl growled at him, moving in the professor's arms to free herself from her.

"Shut up, Evans!"

"He provoked her, Professor Snape." Hagrid said, sticking his big hairy head above the tree. "Malfoy insulted her-"

"Fighting is against Hogwarts rules, Hagrid. Miss Rose was unacceptable." Snape said, still holding the girl who was still hovering. "And that will discount Hufflepuff 20 points."

Malfoy smiled, his cheeks bruised and his nose all bloody.

"However," he growled as he turned to Malfoy, forgetting about those present. "Telling Miss Rose it's a mud.. the M word caused her so aggressive reaction; that will discount Slytherin 15 points. You two take Malfoy to the infirmary, I'll take Miss Rose for a _Calming Draught_."

Snape lowered her to the ground, but immediately grabbed her by the collar of her robe and dragged her away before anyone could say anything. The cold of the dungeons flooded her after a few minutes, however that did not stop Rose from being angry.

"You should have let me finish tearing his face off him! Stupid Malfoy! I hate him, I hate him, I hate him!" Snape let the girl insult Malfoy while he kept looking for the calming potion and a napkin for Rose to wipe the boy's blood from her face. When he found them, he approached her, who had red cheeks and blood stains scattered over them and her nose.

For an instant, it wasn't Rose, and it was the image of Lily, angry at Potter after a joke towards him. It was an angry Lily, her cheeks and ears as red as her hair, her green eyes shining fiercely, and she insulted Potter as much as she could.

However, Rose did not have green eyes, she had brown eyes, dark hazel eyes that glowed with rage. Her red hair was tied up in a braid that was not so well done now, and her uniform had become disheveled after nearly breaking Malfoy's face.

"What you did today was idiotic of you, Miss Rose." he said after she had swallowed the potion in one gulp. "I don't justify Malfoy, but it will be you who will be harmed. I will convince Malfoy Jr not to tell his parents somehow, and Pomfrey will heal all his injuries in a matter of minutes. But nothing like this can happen again, understand?"

The girl didn't respond, looking down as she inhaled and exhaled to control her breathing.

"It is understood?" he repeated with more force.

"Yes, sir."

"All right, go back to your friends and stay out of trouble."

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When the holidays finally began, Rose had too much time and loneliness to find out more about her family, as she had planned since she found out about Hogwarts. Obviously, she helped Harry and Ron read about Flamel, but Rose couldn't care less when she learned the ways she could find out about her parents.

The vast majority of the Hufflepuff members had gone home, so the common room was very empty, and the few who remained preferred to focus on their own business and not interrupt others.

Rose had everything ready: ways to discreetly interrogate her teachers, notebooks to put all the information, and scrolls full of ways she had read to find out about her parents.

First, she went for the teacher closest to her; Professor Sprout. She took advantage of the greenhouse which nobody but the professor, Neville and her visited. Since Neville was also gone, only the two of them remained.

One morning, very early, and very sleepy (but wanting to discover valuable information), Rose appeared in the greenhouse, taking care of the most harmless plants. Professor Sprout came in covered in thick cloaks to cover herself from the growing cold outside.

"Oh, Miss Evans!" she exclaimed in surprise, looking at her curiously. "What are you doing here?"

"I was thinking, Professor Sprout." she replied with an innocent tone, sadness seeping into her voice.

She looked at her sadly in her eyes, coming closer and placing a hand gently on her shoulders. "Is something wrong, dear?"

"It's just that ..." Rose rubbed her eyes. "I saw everyone so happy, going home with their parents, with their families and .."

"Ow, poor thing." murmured the professor, trapping her in a motherly hug. Rose resisted the urge to smile.

"Could you tell me something about them, professor?" she asked once they broke away from the embrace.

"I-"

"Please." Rose pouted and looked directly at Sprout, tears practiced for hours clearing her eyes.

The professor's gaze softened as if she was looking at a shattered baby. "Okay, come on, let's go to my office for more relaxed talks."

The two walked calmly, wearing thick layers of clothing to cover themselves from the biting cold. The office wasn't too far from the greenhouse, so they didn't have to walk that far.

It wasn't freezing inside, but it wasn't hot either; it was a warm, almost natural environment. The teacher sat behind the desk, and Rose sat across from her.

"Your parents were wizards too, Rose; both of them." Sprout mentioned looking at her. "Your father was a Quidditch player, and he was doing very well in Transfiguration. He was a very handsome young man, but he always had eyes for mother, I never saw him fixate on anyone else. He was the leader of his group of friends, a small group, of only 4 members. He insisted a lot on your mother, for years and years, but she only gave him one chance in seventh year, when she realized that he had matured and put the jokes aside."

"Jokes? Was he a joker?" Rose asked.

"Yes, totally!" she exclaimed with a smile. "After he finished Hogwarts, he became an Auror alongside one of his friends."

"And my mother?" she asked.

"A very, very lovely young woman. You are very similar to her, almost the same, I would say." Sprout smiled and got up. "Tea?"

"Sure." Rose murmured, shifting in her seat. She was no longer so sure that she wanted to know that much. "What was she like, professor?"

"Very smart, although I must admit you have a much better streak than any student who has been to Hogwarts in years. Pure high marks." Sprout smiled, and Rose couldn't help but do the same. "Your mother had a powerful spirit, and from what I've heard you too."

"Did Professor Snape tell you what happened to Malfoy?" Rose wrinkled her mouth.

"Yes, Rose. Professor Snape told me what happened with Malfoy. Since it is a vacation and you have had a magnificent development, I will not punish you. Professor Snape has already deducted points from the house. But don't let it happen again." she warned, putting the tea in front of her. "Your mother, I think your mother never- no! Yes, she once hit someone. He was a fifth year Ravenclaw, she was in third year. He said the same word Malfoy said to you, and she broke his nose."

Rose smiled softly behind her cup, knowing that she too broke Malfoy's nose. "What did she do after Hogwarts?"

"She was studying to be a Healer, but several times Professor Dumbledore asked her to work as a Muggle Studies Professor here at Hogwarts. I'm pretty sure she would accept, but-" the professor sighed and finished her tea. "I think we talked enough for today, Rose. Why don't you go with your friends?"

Rose nodded, feeling her heart pound. "See you later, professor. Thank you very much."

The girl left the office quickly, walking without realizing where she was going. Her heart beat even harder. They sounded like good people, but Rose was an orphan. The lady at Eagle's Nest Orphanage (the orphanage she stayed in until she was five years old, when she was first adopted) had told her. Rose from a very young age had been a curious girl, so she had asked several times about her parents. The ladies always said the same thing, her own family had abandoned her.

Rose was an orphan, an unwanted child.

She collided with an open door, falling into the classroom. The noise seemed to have alerted someone, and hidden behind a wall, Rose saw Mrs. Norris's tail pass by. The cat did not enter and walked past. She let out a sigh, and stepped out from behind the wall, surveying the room.

It looked like a disused classroom. The shadows of chairs and desks piled against the walls, an inverted wastebasket leaning against the opposite wall... There was something that seemed not to belong there, as if it had been left to get out of the way.

It was a magnificent mirror, high to the ceiling, with an elaborate gilt frame, supported by supports that were like claws. It had an inscription engraved on the top: _Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi_. Rose wrinkled her eyes, trying to make sense of it: it could be in an ancient language, or...

"Upside down." she murmured. "Is- _no_ , I show not your face! I show not your face but your heart's desire. Heart's desire?" she wondered herself, drawing closer.

The mirror was blurry, and Rose could see herself at first, in her messy clothes and a messy ponytail. However, her scars had disappeared. Rose had one of hers on her eyebrow, made by a stone that had been thrown at her head, but it wasn't there. She was sure that if she turned around, all the scars on her neck were gone as well.

Soon, she didn't see herself alone; they were blurry spots, standing next to her. A man and a woman, and the more she watched them, the more she Rose found herself more and more enraged. She did not love her parents; they had abandoned her: the deepest desire of her heart was not them, it could not be them.

"Why do you keep torturing me?" she said. They weren't even figures, they were blurry spots. The woman had red hair, and a beautiful long light brown dress. It was a blurred face, without recognizable features. The man had dark and messy hair, just like Rose's: like the woman, he did not have clear features. "Wasn't the orphanage enough? To abandon me like a dog?"

Rose saw the woman put her hand on her shoulder, but she knew it was just an illusion from the mirror. The man raised her hand in a gentle greeting.

"I hate you," she murmured, feeling her eyes fill with tears, "I hate you so much. You left me alone, you discarded me like I was a monster. I hate you, I hate you, I hate you!" she exclaimed hitting the mirror hard, but the glass did not break, so amid all her anger, Rose recognized that it had magical protections. "It's not fair! Why are you showing up here? I don't want you! It's not my wish! Go away!" Rose felt her magic rush through her veins furiously, and a slight scratch marked the mirror as she struck the last blow.

She ran out of the room after that, tears streaming down her face with freedom and anger. Rose decided not to find out more about her parents.

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Rose didn't expect to have presents for Christmas; she obviously had bought nothing from anyone since she didn't have magic or muggle money, so she likewise hadn't expected gifts. However, she woke up with several of them.

She sat on the floor; the blanket wrapped around her. She grabbed the first package she saw; something wrapped it in brown paper and had writing on it; " _For Rose, from Hagrid_." It was a wooden flute, made by him. It had a sound like the song of an owl, or at least similar to the song of Hedwig, Harry's owl.

There was a misshapen package, red and medium large. Inside was a thick, stone-blue hand-knitted sweater with a yellow R in the middle. There was also a large box of homemade chocolate cake. And a brief note that said; " _From the Weasley family, for Rose Evans_ ". She smiled softly at the realization that it was from the family of her red-haired friends.

The next one had chocolate muffins and assorted Muggle gummies, clearly Hermione's.

Seamus had gifted her a pack of ponytails for her hair, as Rose lost them very regularly. Dean had gifted her a book of prank spells, as Rose had expressed her liking for them multiple times.

Cho gave her a scarf woven by herself, with the Hufflepuff pattern and her initials at the end. Cedric presented her with a box with many magical goodies such as _Jelly Slugs, Sugar Quills, Dragees, Apple Rings, Assorted Sour Strips_ and _Assorted Strips_ of other flavors, a bag of _Candyfloss_ , and _Crystallised Pineapple_.

Hannah had given her unbreakable quills and colored inks. Susan gave her 'The Wizard of Oz', a muggle book. Leila gave her various makeup items, nail polish, and a peach-scented perfume. Megan gave her hair clips of various colors, sizes, and shapes. Leanne gave her a set of clothes; a beige cardigan and a white dress with a fine flower print.

She was left with the last one, tiny, like a box. She opened it delicately and took out the note that wrapped the box: " _This necklace belonged to your mother. I'm sure she would have liked you to have it. A very Merry Christmas to you_." She opened the box and looked at the necklace.

It was beautiful. It was a gold chain with a small gem hanging from it, with fine gold edges. It had a magical aura, but it was very slight, yet it was still there, dancing around. It was a precious stone, an emerald exactly. Rose knew the meaning by heart. She was very fond of gemstones since she was very little, and in the Orphanage there was not a great diversity of books. It was that or a storybook Rose had reread thousands of times.

The emerald symbolizes power, immortality and, with its green hue, eternal youth. Like ruby, emerald is also said to be a healing stone. In ancient times, emerald was credited with healing powers for skin problems. It also had other meanings and was supposed to contribute various things, such as improving relationships, balancing the heart, treating mental illnesses, and neutralizing negative force fields.

And the more she looked at the necklace, the more conflict Rose had on her mind. A part of her begged him to put it on, to pay tribute to her mother, give her a little chance. But another part of her was crying out for hatred, throwing it back in the box and tucking it deep into her trunk.

"Like I said, they only torture me as close as they can."

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Rose's necklace: 


	7. similarities

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_**Summary of the week:** _

_Fred and George kept saying that their parents had already accepted me into their family as they gave me the sweater with my initial on it. They also gave Harry his sweater and the same cake, so I guess we're two practically adopted orphans now (although I'm pretty sure the Weasleys don't know I'm an orphan)._

_Harry received a gift, a family heirloom from his father. An invisibility cloak. Very good since Ron, he and I got in (although we failed on the first try since Ron wanted to bring food too)._

_Harry found the mirror, and he saw his parents, and almost all of his paternal and maternal family. He's been obsessed, since it was three nights in a row, but he said that Dumbledore found him and advised him not to return (with more elegant and formal words like the professor's, of course). He also brought Ron, who was seen as a Quidditch captain, lifting the house cup and the Quidditch cup at the same time._

_I didn't tell them I had found it too._

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The Christmas holidays passed quickly, and Rose found herself sheltered in her mind, unable to focus on Flamel. She wished she could forget what she had seen in the mirror, or hit it again. Repeatedly, she dreamed of sweet laughs and affectionate nicknames that made her want to scream. In silence, Rose cried for hours and hours.

Hermione, who had returned the day before classes started, wondered where Rose was, who hadn't been seen at all. Fred and George would try to sneak into the Hufflepuff common room for many days, but Percy would always catch them.

The first time Hermione could see her since she had arrived, on any night (but it turned out to be anything but ordinary), she could admit that she did not recognize Rose at first. Her hair was very messy, tied in two very loose braids. Her face, full of dark freckles, was pale and highlighted the pair of almost purple circles under her eyes.

"Rosie?" she said, her heart breaking to see her friend in such a state. "What happened?"

Rose wasn't looking at her, her eyes wandered over the floor and walls, as if there was something unusual. Hermione took advantage and looked at the uniform she was wearing. Normally, Rose was the most organized, with the skirt a few inches above the knee, long stockings, second-hand leather shoes, the shirt inside the skirt, the well-made tie, a cardigan (the color depended on the day, but mostly it was a yellow, cream, or gray color) and the robe folded in her arms.

But the Rose that she saw in front was.. different. At first glance there was not much change, but Hermione was a very professional observer, much more when it came to Evans, who knew how to hide perfectly.

The dark skirt was a few inches higher, almost to the end of the thigh. One stocking had stayed below the knee and the other at the end. Her shoes were not properly fastened. Her shirt was wrinkled, her tie was badly made, and she had no cardigan on. The robe was nowhere to be found.

"Rose," she repeated louder, moving closer to the girl. She could see how her best friend swallowed and lowered her head, like a scolded puppy. "What's going on? Where have you been? I have hardly seen you at all! I know very well that we share at least 3 classes. I have not seen you in Potions, I know how much you love Potions..."

Rose raised her head, and their eyes locked. Hermione forced herself not to turn her head, since she had forgotten the intensity of Rose's gaze after not seeing her for a long time.

Her eyes inspected the girl's in one swift movement. Rose's beautifully dark hazel eyes had been overshadowed by her black pupil almost entirely. The nerves leaked into them disturbingly.

"Oh, Rosie." she murmured, putting her hand on her friend's arm. That simple movement _'clicked'_ on the redhead, who couldn't hold back the tears and let her head rest on her friend's shoulder. Arms went around her, and they soon sat on the floor of the Astronomy tower.

"Harry told you about the mirror, I'm not even going to ask you, I know he did," she stated in a low voice. Hermione might have forgotten the depth of her friend's eyes, but never the tone of her voice. It was relaxing, like a gentle ocean wave, and warmly calm. Her voice had never given Hermione the creeps, not in a bad way. "I've found it too, you know? And I hated it. I hate it so much," she whimpered into Hermione's arms. "I just wanted to hear from _them_."

 _They_ ; Rose's parents, of course. Hermione looked at her softly, her honey eyes full of concern.

"I had an entire plan, all the ways, forms and situations to find out about them. And ended up being a coward, Hermione. I couldn't." Rose scoffed at herself between hiccups and sobs. "I asked Professor Sprout, it wasn't difficult, that woman loves me almost as much as her plants. And hearing her say that my father was a joker, and that I was so similar to my mother made me want to vomit." Tears ran down her face, and despite her face being buried in Hermione's neck, the bushy-haired one could hear her clearly. "And I left, and I found the mirror, that stupid mirror." her accent thickened, and anger combined with rage and sadness came out of her mouth. "And they dared to appear, as if they were my wish, as if I wanted to meet them, as if they had not left me as if I were a dog."

Hermione swallowed hard, holding back the urge to remind her that the mirror only showed the deepest desire of the heart. Her friend didn't need to be reminded of that right now.

"And then I got this stupid necklace." She pulled the item out of her skirt, and tossed it onto Hermione's lap, who took it in confusion.

The necklace was beautiful, really beautiful. With an emerald and a gold chain. She, unlike Rose, did not notice the magical aura.

"No- I don't understand, Rose. What's in the necklace?"

"It was hers," she spat, "my mother. Someone gave it to me anonymously for Christmas." she said. "I tried to throw it away, disappear, every day, and it always comes back. Somehow, it always ends up in my hands again. I have tried to give it away; nobody accepts it. I threw it down the toilet; the elves return it to me saying they found it in the kitchens with a note saying it belonged to me. I flipped it around the yard; Cedric finds it and gives it to me. I've tried everything, and nothing works! "

"Maybe you're destined to have it, Rosie." she mumbled, and felt the girl frown and pulled away from the hug.

"What do you mean by that?"

"That once it goes from, well, mother to daughter, maybe it stays that way until you have a daughter to give it to," she explained, waving her hands nervously. Rose's brow furrowed, but not in anger; she was thinking.

"You may be right," she murmured through unconscious, tear-filled eyes. "That means I'm never going to get rid of this then."

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The next day, Rose was glued to her friends again. The Gryffindor room became a second home from so much time she spent there, the members of the house did not even glance at her, they only said hello and went about their business, used to seeing the Hufflepuff at home.

Ron and Hermione played chess, and Hermione's whining amused Rose about losing, since Ron was very good at playing chess (not even Rose herself knew how to beat him.. or play chess). Harry had just arrived from Quidditch practice, all wet and muddy. He pretended to sit next to Rose, but the girl stopped him while looking at him seriously.

"You're all dirty, and I'm clean to the toes," she told him, and murmured a couple of spells to remove dirt and dry his clothes. She smiled at her perfect result and whispered to him to sit down. Harry practically threw himself onto his side, resting his head on her shoulder.

"Don't talk for a moment," Ron muttered. "I need to concentrate.. What's wrong with you? You have a terrible face."

"Nice way to say ugly, Ronnie." Rose laughed, but stroked Harry's mane to comfort him.

In a low tone so that no one else would hear, Harry explained Snape's _sudden_ and _sinister_ desire to be a Quidditch referee. Rose rolled her eyes and focused on her Animagus book.

"Don't play the match," Hermione said immediately.

"Tell them you're sick," Ron added.

"Pretend you broke your leg," Hermione suggested.

"Break your leg for real," said Ron.

Rose looked up and muttered, "Let me break your leg."

Harry turned his head towards Rose and glared at her, receiving a small smile. "I can't," he said. "There is no substitute seeker. If I don't play, Gryffindor can't play either."

At that moment Neville fell into the common room. No one explained how he had got through the hole in the portrait, because his legs were glued together, so they immediately recognized the Hex of Legs Joined. He had had to jump all the way to the Gryffindor tower.

Rose got up, dropping Harry across the couch, nearly falling to the floor. However, she cared little when she approached Neville and did the counter hex. helping him up.

"What happened? Who did this to you?" Rose asked him with her brows furrowed.

"Malfoy," Neville replied shakily. Rose put a blanket over him and put her arm around his shoulders, looking at him with concern. "I found him outside the library. He said he was looking for someone to practice it."

"Breaking his nose seems like it wasn't enough," Rose muttered, pursing her lips in anger. "You think I can cast a spell on him without the teachers knowing, Mione?"

"Badgers are supposed to be the nicest," Seamus said as he played cards with Dean.

"Well, I'm not," Rose replied.

"Go talk to Professor McGonagall!" Hermione urged him. "Accuse him!"

Neville shook his head.

"I want no more problems." he muttered.

"I'll make sure you pay for it, Nev; but Hermione is right." Rose told him.

"Face it, Neville!" Ron said. "He's used to taking the entire world ahead, but that's not a reason to drop in his wake and make things easier for him."

"You don't need to tell me I'm not brave enough to be Gryffindor; Malfoy already tells me that." Neville said, choking.

"Well, Malfoy is a jerk, Neville," Rose said, causing him and Hermione to gasp at her language. "Don't do that, you're going to hear worse things in your life. But really, Nev; listening to Malfoy is like going to a funeral to celebrate life."

"Rosie is right," said Harry, pulling out a chocolate frog and handing it to Neville. Rose looked into Ron's gaze and handed him one of her chocolate cupcakes.

"Thanks," Ron murmured to her with flushed cheeks. Rose just winked at him with a smile.

"You're worth twelve Malfoys," Harry continued. "Didn't the Sorting Hat pick you for Gryffindor? And where's Malfoy? In the..." Harry stopped speaking after the look Rose gave him. ".. in the house of snakes."

Neville let out a weak smile as he unwrapped the chocolate.

"Thanks Harry, Rosie... I think I'm going to bed... Harry, do you want the chrome? You collect them, don't you?"

As Neville walked away, Harry looked at the Famous Wizard's sticker.

"Dumbledore again," he said. "He was the first to ..."

He huffed and then stared at the back of the card. Then he looked up at Ron, Hermione, and Rose.

"I found it!" whisper. "I found Flamel! I told you I had read that name before. I read it on the train, coming this way. Listen to what it says: _Professor Dumbledore is famous for defeating the dark wizard Grindelwald, in 1945, for the discovery of the twelve applications of the dragon's blood and for his work in alchemy with his partner Nicolas Flamel!_ "

Hermione jumped and reminded Rose when she received her first note.

"Wait here!" she said and darted down the stairs to the girls' bedroom.

They barely had time to exchange a look of amazement and she was there again, with an enormous book in her arms.

"I never thought to search here!" she whispered excitedly. "I took it out of the library weeks ago, to have something light to read."

"Light?" Rose and Ron said, but Hermione told them to wait, that she had to find something and started turning the pages, crazed, muttering to herself.

It seemed like she had found what she wanted as she exclaimed excitedly, "I knew it! I knew it!"

"We can speak now?" Ron said grumpily already. Hermione ignored him, but Rose shoved a cupcake in his mouth to shut him up.

"Nicolas Flamel," she whispered theatrically, "is the only known discoverer of the Philosopher's Stone."

Rose gasped and widened her eyes, but it had no effect on Harry and Ron.

"What?" they said.

"The Philosopher's Stone," Rose repeated, then sat up with a proud, brief smile. "It is a legendary substance that has amazing powers, it can transform any metal into pure gold, and it produces the elixir of life: which makes the drinker immortal. Mr. Flamel, Nicolas Flamel, turned six hundred and sixty-five last year: his wife Perenela, is six hundred and fifty-eight years old. "

Ron and Harry looked at her in surprise, while Hermione smiled bigger and bigger.

"Did you learn all that?" Ron told her.

"I was bored."

"I knew there were neurons that were still working!" Hermione exclaimed with a proud look. "The dog must guard Flamel's Philosopher's Stone. He must have asked Dumbledore to keep it for him, because they are friends and because he must know someone is looking for it. That's why he wanted the Gringotts Stone removed!"

"A stone that turns to gold and makes one never die!" Harry said. "It's not unusual for Snape to look for her! Anyone would want her."

"I already told you it's not Snape, Harry." growled Rose. "Why would any Potions teacher look for something like that? It helped me get out of the awful mess I got into with Malfoy. Anyone else would have justified my expulsion."

"That's because you are Snape's favorite, Rose." Ron replied and continued speaking: "And it's no wonder we couldn't find Flamel in that _Study of the Recent Development of Witchcraft_. He's not exactly recent if he's six hundred and sixty-five years old, is he?"

The next morning, in Defense Against the Dark Arts class, while copying the different ways to treat werewolf bites, Rose took it upon herself to stare at Quirrell, not even surreptitiously. She did not care if the man noticed or not. In the same way, the professor did not look at her address by mistake.

Malfoy woke up that day with his cheeks red like two tomatoes and his hair hard like a scarecrow's. He didn't look at Neville, least of all Rose. If any of the teachers noticed, no one said anything.

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Harry's game was minutes away, and Rose's cheeks were the only ones painted this time (one side red and gold, the other yellow and black). A smile was on her face, but Harry's nerves somehow rubbed off on Rose, who felt them in her stomach. Ron and Hermione were discussing something next to her, but she avoided their conversation with some anger; they were talking about using a spell on Snape in case he tried to harm Harry.

She understood that her teacher was treating Harry bad (too bad), but he was not such an idiot to hurt him with everyone around him.

Someone hit Ron on the back of the head, brushing against Rose, who was at his side. It was Malfoy.

"Oh sorry, Weasley, I hadn't seen you." Malfoy smirked at his gorillas. "I ask how long Potter will last on his broom this time. Does anyone want to bet? What do you say, Weasley?"

"Ron will not answer you, but I am." Rose spoke with furrowed brows. "Harry is going to last and be a hell of a lot better than that useless seeker Slytherin has. You'd think even a possum plays better."

Someone whistled in the distance, drawing Rose's gaze. It was Fred, who had a big smile; seemed to have heard her.

"Do you know why I think people are chosen for the Gryffindor house?" Malfoy said out loud a few minutes later, as Snape gave Hufflepuff another penalty, for no reason. "These are people who feel sorry for them. For example, there is Potter; who has no parents, then the Weasleys, who have no money... And you, Longbottom, who have no brain."

Neville turned red and turned in his seat to face Malfoy

"I'm worth twelve like you, Malfoy," he stuttered.

Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle roared with laughter, but Ron, without taking his eyes off the game, chimed in.

"Way to speak, Neville."

"Longbottom, if your brain were gold you would be poorer than Weasley, and with that I tell you everything."

"And you Malfoy, if you keep putting on ten pounds of gel, you'll look worse than a scarecrow. Well, more than you are now." Rose argued.

"Oh, let's not even talk about you, Evans," Malfoy spat, "Hufflepuff orphan; when not the weak badgers accepting the leftovers."

Rose looked at him with red ears and enormous eyes. "At least we Hufflepuffs have the dignity to accept defeat when it's our turn, unlike you, you stupid slimy snake. You look like a troll making fun of others for things they can't choose. And that, Malfoy, makes you more pathetic than anyone in this world."

"You will regret it, mud..!"

"I'm warning you, Malfoy.." Ron jumped, defending Rose. "One more word..."

"Harry!" Hermione blurted. "Guys, Harry!..."

"What?"

"Where?"

Harry had taken off on a spectacular flight, which drew gasps and cheers from the spectators. Hermione scrambled to her feet, fingers crossed over her mouth, as Harry darted across the field like a bullet.

"You're lucky, Weasley, Potter has clearly seen some coins in the field," Malfoy said.

Ron exploded. Before Malfoy knew what was happening, Ron was on top of him, knocking him to the ground. Neville hesitated, but then climbed into the back of his chair to help. Rose looked at them, her hand on her forehead, as she let out a sigh. She lifted her feet, thanking she had put on pants that day.

"Come on, Harry!" Hermione yelled, getting on the seat to get a good look at Harry, not realizing Malfoy and Ron were rolling under her seat and not hearing the screams and thumps of Neville, Crabbe and Goyle.

In midair, Snape started his broom just in time to see something scarlet pass him, and it did not collide with him for only a few inches. The next moment Harry came up with his arm raised in triumph and his hand clenching the snitch.

The stands were abuzz. That was a record. No one remembered the snitch being caught so quickly.

Rose, despite being from the opposing team, cheered loudly for her friend. Her eyes sparkled with excitement at seeing Harry so happy.

Hermione danced in her seat and hugged Parvati Patil. Dumbledore approached Harry and said something that Rose couldn't hear, but could observe. He mentioned the mirror, and something to keep busy.

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Rose was returning to her common room, her eyes closing wearily. She had been partying in Gryffindor for Harry, but she was too tired to stand. Also, Harry had told them something about Snape; the talk the Potions teacher had had with Quirrell, mentioning the beast on the third floor, and threats to the DADA teacher, and that had augmented his theories that Snape wanted the stone.

In Hufflepuff, many were still awake, whether it was talking to the founder of his house, sipping hot chocolate, or reading a book. Rose, however, went straight to her bedroom.

Her companions were still awake, not having any sleep. They greeted her and invited her to eat some chocolates, and Rose who was to refuse. They chatted for a while, such as Fred's advances to Rose (which she did not believe), children, books, teachers, activities, families (Rose had to put up with the jokes she wanted to make), and various things, all until finishing the chocolate sent by Megan's mom.

At some point, Harry came up in their talk.

"He seems a little shy," Susan opined, braiding Hannah's hair.

"But he's a very good seeker," Leanne commented.

"What do you say, Rosie? You're like her best friend, right?" Leila asked, looking at her. Rose crossed her shoulders, nodding vaguely. "Well, how is he?"

"Harry is friendly, and if he's confident, he's a lot of fun. He has a huge tendency to get into trouble though." the redhead laughed softly. "He is a good boy."

"Don't take me the wrong way, Rosie. But am I the only one who thinks she and Harry have a lot of similarities?" Hannah said, taking another chocolate.

"Similarities? What do you mean, Anna?" asked Rose, confused, puckering her lips.

"Like, they both play with their fingers a lot, and - and they have dazzling eyes, let alone your uncombed hair is too close to his," she joked. "But now, no jokes. You two have a lot of resemblance sometimes, like raising the eyebrows, or doing the same thing at the same time without noticing. It gets creepy."

"Oh, Hannah. These are things that happen when two people spend a lot of time together. If you don't believe me, look at Susan and Megan, they don't know which clothes are whose." Rose teased this time, feeling a knot in her stomach as she spoke. She got up and grabbed her pajamas. "Well, I'm going to sleep now. I'm very sleepy. Good night."

"Good evening," Rose heard the chorus of voices.

The knot in her stomach tightened more and more, leaving Rose with a very uncomfortable feeling in her chest. Like.. empty.

She shook her head, letting out a dry, low laugh. "You already look crazy, Rose, for God's sake."

However, the more she tried to convince herself that she and Harry had these similarities from spending so much time with each other, a more and more hollow sensation planted in her chest. 


	8. the problems that come with Harry Potter

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As the days passed, the danger seemed to increase in great numbers, yet Hermione seemed to care less than she prepared for the exams. She had made schedules to review and underline her notes with various colors. Harry and Ron wouldn't have minded, but she nagged them all the time to do the same. Rose also had a schedule, but since she was from a different house, she did not insist on her friends.

Hufflepuff had study dates and hours for each year daily, so Rose studied with her housemates and her grade. Every year they studied together, divided only by their grade, but whenever they could they helped each other (although they all tried not to disturb the Fifth and Seventh students).

A satisfied smile was on her face every time she saw Ron and Harry being forced to study (she faded from it when Hermione glared at her, but the same smile returned in the dark nights).

The professors seemed to think the same as Hermione. They were given so much homework that the Easter break was not as fun as the Christmas break. It was difficult to relax with Hermione next to her, reciting the twelve uses of dragon blood or practicing wand movements. Whining and yawning, Harry and Ron roasted most of her free time in her library with her, trying to do all the extra work. Rose was grateful that her friends at Hufflepuff were almost as laid back as she was when they weren't studying in the common room.

"I'll never be able to remember this," Ron snapped one afternoon, throwing down his pen and looking out the library window longingly. It was really the first good day in months. The sky was clear, and the blue forget-me-nots and the air announced summer.

"Sure you can, Ronnie. You can do this, mate; I just started studying with you and everything. Come on," Rose told him with a smile, dropping some chocolate coins in front of him. "Eat and start over. Maybe your stomach is empty. Muggles say you can't study well without eating."

"The least empty thing is his stomach, Rose. Stop spoiling him," Hermione murmured. Rose scowled at her, noticing how Ron set the chocolate beside him.

"You eat," the redhead to her friend, and then turned to Hermione again. "And you don't say things like that to him. We are all stressed, arguing is the least we need."

Hermione opened her mouth, willing to ignore what Rose said about not fighting, when Ron said:

"Hagrid! What are you doing in the library?"

Hagrid appeared awkward, hiding something behind his back. He seemed very out of place; in his moleskin coat.

"I was watching," he said in an evasive voice that caught their attention. "And what are you doing?" Suddenly she seemed to suspect something. "You are not looking for Nicolas Flamel yet, are you?"

"Oh, we found it centuries ago," Ron said grandly, causing Rose to slap her hand against her forehead. "And we also know what the dog guards, it is the Fi Stone ..."

"Shh!!" Hagrid looked around to see if anyone was listening. "You can't go around yelling it. What's wrong with you?"

"Actually, there are a few things we want to ask you," said Harry, "about what else does the Stone guard, besides Fluffy ..."

"SHHHH!" Hagrid said again. "Look, come and see me later, I don't promise I'll tell you something, but don't go around talking. The students shouldn't know anything. They'll think I've told you ..."

"See you later," said Harry.

Hagrid slipped away.

"What was he hiding behind his back?" Hermione said thoughtfully.

"Do you think it is the Stone?"

"He would have kept it more concealed," Rose replied.

"I'll see which section it was in," said Ron, tired of his work.

He returned a minute later, with many books in his arms. He scattered them on the table.

"Dragons!" He whispered. "Hagrid was looking for things about dragons! Check out these two: Dragon species in Great Britain and Ireland and From Egg to Hell, guide for dragon keepers ..."

"Hagrid always wanted a dragon. He told me that the day I met him," said Harry.

"But it's against our laws," Ron said. "Breeding dragons was forbidden by the Wizards Convention of 1709, everyone knows that. It was difficult for Muggles not to detect us if we had dragons in our gardens. Anyway, you cannot tame a dragon, it is dangerous. You would have to see them. burns Charlie got from those wild dragons from Romania. "

"But there are no wild dragons in England, right?" Harry asked.

"Of course there is," Ron replied. "Greens in Wales and Blacks in Scotland. The minister of magic has had a hard time silencing that matter, I assure you. Ours have to cast charms on Muggles who have seen them to forget them."

"So what is Hagrid up to?" Hermione said.

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An hour later, they were already at the ranger's cabin. When they entered, he quickly closed the door and made sure the curtains did not draw. Inside, the heat was stifling. Rose had to remove her cardigan and roll the sleeves of her shirt up to her elbows, taking care not to show her scars. 

The fireplace was blazing hot, but Hagrid made their tea and offered them weasel sandwiches. The others refused, but Rose could never refuse a tea (however she decided not to try the sandwich).

The peppermint tea burned in her throat, but left a refreshingly fresh taste in her mouth.

"So you wanted to ask me something?"

"Yes," Harry and Rose answered instantly. They looked at each other in surprise, but Harry kept talking as Rose sank into her cup of tea. "We were wondering if you could tell us if there is something else guarding the Philosopher's Stone, other than Fluffy."

Hagrid looked at him sternly and poured Rose more tea.

"Of course I can't," he said. "Firstly; I don't know. Second, you already know too much, so I wouldn't tell you if I knew either. That Stone is here for a good reason. It was almost stolen from Gringotts... Although you already knew that, right? I'd like to know how you guys found out about Fluffy. "

Rose and Hermione looked at each other. Hermione nodded to Rose, who between the two (secretly) knew that the redhead was better at manipulating with words.

"Oh come on Hagrid, you may not want to tell us, but you must know everything that goes on around here," Rose's voice, so soft and honeyed as if she's talking to someone higher, echoed in Hagrid's ears. "We were just wondering who else Dumbledore could trust enough to ask for help, besides you. We all know how much he loves you and how much the Headmaster trusts you."

With those last words, Hagrid's chest flared. Harry, Ron and Hermione looked at Rose with pride.

"Well, I guess there's nothing wrong with telling you this... Let me see... I loaned Fluffy.. then some professors did charms... Professor Sprout, Professor Flitwick, Professor McGonagall," he counted on his fingers, "Professor Quirrell and Dumbledore himself, of course. Wait, I've forgotten someone. Oh right, Professor Snape."

"Snape?"

Harry looked victoriously at Rose, but she just rolled her eyes.

"Aha... You won't go on with that yet, will you? Look, Snape helped protect the Stone, he doesn't want to steal it."

Rose, just by looking at the expressions of her friends, knew what they were thinking. If Professor Snape had been part of the Stone's protection, it would be easy for him to discover how the other professors protected it. She likely knew all the spells, except for Quirrell's, and how to get past Fluffy. However, Rose did not miss the fact that Quirrell perhaps knew all of them, both his and everyone else's. Too bad her friends were fools who didn't think of Quirrell the way she did.

Something about the man just gave her the creeps. Maybe it was his stupid turban, which gave off a foul garlic smell, and was never taken off. Or how his stuttering would go away sometimes, and it sounded as feigned as a smile from her second favorite professor (Professor Sprout being the first).

"You're the only one who knows how to get past Fluffy, right Hagrid?" Harry asked anxiously. "And you won't tell anyone, will you? Not even a professor?"

Rose took another sip of her tea as she rolled her eyes, only to find that she was done. A pout was planted on her lips as she looked at her empty cup.

"Not a soul knows, save for Dumbledore and myself," Hagrid said proudly.

"Well, that's something," Harry muttered. "Hagrid, can we open a window? I'm roasting here."

"I can't, Harry, I'm sorry," replied the giant.

Rose and Harry noticed Hagrid squinting at the fire, so they looked at him too.

"Hagrid.. what is that?"

"Don't be silly, Harry. It's obviously a dragon's egg," Rose tapped the back of her friend's neck lightly.

"Where did you get it, Hagrid?" Ron asked, crouching before the fireplace to get a closer look at the egg, "It must have cost you a fortune."

"I won it," Hagrid explained. "The other night. I was in the village, having a few drinks, and I started playing cards with a stranger. I think he was thrilled to get rid of him, if I have to be honest."

"But what are you going to do when it hatches?" Hermione asked.

"Well, I've been reading for a bit," Hagrid said, pulling a comprehensive book from under his pillow. "Got it from the library: Raising dragons for pleasure and profit. It's old-fashioned, of course, but it all comes out. Keep the egg on fire, because mothers breathe fire on them and, when they hatch, feed them with brandy mixed with chicken blood, every half hour. And look, it says how to recognize the different eggs. The one I have is a Norwegian ridgeback. And they are very rare. "

He seemed very pleased with himself, but Hermione didn't.

"Hagrid.. you live in a wooden house."

But Hagrid wasn't listening. He was humming happily as he fed the fire.

Rose sighed and hit her head on the table; danger stabbed desperately in her mind.

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As always, Rose's sixth instinct made sense. As time passed, she'd done a mental summary while brewing potions for headaches (having Snape's confidence and the agility of a fox helped).

Hagrid was determined to stay with Norbert (the beautiful but overly irritating dragon). Malfoy had seen them all (including the Norwegian Ridgeback). During the week, Rose had to put up with Malfoy's hideous smiles plus those dreams that only gave her migraines. Norbert had bitten Ron's hand to where his hand was swollen and bloody. Charlie, another older brother of her younger red-haired friend, worked with dragons in Romania; they had sent him a letter to see if he could take Norbert.

The second Weasley had gladly agreed, only asking in return to be taken to the highest tower at midnight on Saturday. Rose agreed to go with them, claiming to know shortcuts.

However, the next day everything got worse. Ron's bitten hand was swollen and twice its normal size. It was a horrible green color, and Rose could assume (not to say affirm) that Norbert's fangs had a poison that took time to work.

Rose, that same day, woke up sweating cold, but with a temperature as high as if it were a hot coffee. She was pale, but her ears and cheeks were a sickly red color. Her eyes had darkened noticeably and purple circles had been planted on her freckled skin.

She had had another dream, but it was not the same as the others. There were more voices, unknown, and expressing words she made little sense. Perhaps it was because it sounded fuzzy. She could hear well a baby cry, and at the end of her dream, a creepy laugh that made the hair on the back of her neck stand on end.

Over the days, she did not seem to improve, so Madame Pomfrey immediately ordered that she be put on one stretcher in the infirmary. Her friends were coming to visit her, and the twins promised to bring him her map at night. It was already Saturday, and Rose had improved just a little; but tears and stabs of pain attacked her every night. Her ears burned a fiery color, and she hadn't been able to bathe, so she supposed her hair and skin weren't much better than her.

 _Harry and Hermione should hand Norbert over by now_ , Rose thought as she watched Ron rest. She hoped her friends were fine, Rose would never forgive herself if something happened to them.

Again, an uncomfortable feeling was planted in the girl's head, however, Rose had already learned not to pay attention to that kind of thing.

The door to the infirmary wing slid open gently, and the soft lamp illuminating the side of the gurney was on rose to illuminate a red head.

Fred Weasley had a charming smile. Even with his badly cut hair and his arrogant demeanor, Fred Weasley was charming. Rose didn't like him beyond a friend, of course; she didn't know the meaning of love, and she was sure there was too much time left for that. However, none of that could prevent her thoughts about beauty, something common in humans.

"Hello, my sweet little Rosie," he said in a low tone, _to not wake Ronnie_ , as he would say. "I brought you the map. George is sorry he can't come, but he feels bad and stayed with Lee. I also brought you some chocolate cupcakes, I know you like them."

"Thank you, Garfield," the girl smiled. "How are you doing this _splendid_ night?"

"Ulala," the boy sneered, "I think I should ask you that. You're the one on the stretcher."

"Forced," she clarified.

"It's for your own good," crooned Fred. "But being serious, how do you feel?"

"Better than before," she replied. "I'm not so cold anymore."

"I'm glad; you really looked creepy," Fred said, but Rose, even without looking at him, could recognize the mockery in his voice, combined with that smile of his. "I'll leave you to rest, little Rosie."

"Bye, Fre-"

Weasley gave her a kiss on the cheek, and as quickly as he came, he left. The words hang, and his mouth falls open.

"I'm going to ignore that I saw all that, and I'll still have a peaceful image of you, Ro," Ron muttered, making her jump.

"Shut up, Ronnie."

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Hours later. Rose was completely fine, but soon a headache broke into her head when she found out that Harry, Neville and Hermione had a punishment in the Forbidden Forest. They had been caught when they brought the Dragon, well, just Harry and Hermione. Neville had been caught looking for Harry to warn him of Malfoy, who had also been punished.

Not just punished, Rose could tell while she ate breakfast that Gryffindor had been deducted 150 points. Hufflepuff lit up at the top, with the most points, and even as he tried to cheer Harry and Hermione up, a smirk escaped her lips.

Harry had gone from being one of the most popular and admired people in school to one of the most hated in a matter of hours. The Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs turned his faces, and the Slytherins were yelling at him in gratitude. Only she and Ron were next to him.

"They'll be forgotten in a few weeks, Fred and George have lost points many times since they've been here and people still appreciate them," Ron told him.

"But they never lost five fifty points in one go, did they?" Harry muttered as he sadly ate toast.

"I can get me punished for diffuse the attention, Haz," Rose told him. She had never been punished at Hogwarts before, not even when she broke Malfoy's nose.

Harry smiled softly and shook his head. "No, Rosie, but thank you very much for the offer."

"I can ask Professor Snape to punish me by making Potions, or something. I have to go anyway," the girl insisted.

"Why do you have to go with Snape?" Ron wrinkled his nose.

"I'm helping him make Potions."

Ron and Harry seemed to want to say something, but they kept it to themselves.

"Let's study for a bit," Rose suggested with a sigh.

And so the days went by, studying late into the night, nights when Rose had to sleep in the Gryffindor girls' dorm because Hufflepuff was too far away. Thanks to Merlin, the professors didn't seem to care much, as they never told her anything.

A week before the exams started, Harry had gone somewhere on his own (Rose preferred to say that she hadn't understood, but she wasn't really listening), while the others had stayed in the library. Rose had fun eating gummies as she watched Ron try to understand Hermione. Harry came rushing in, recounting what he had heard.

"So Snape did it!" Ron said, and Rose snorted as she sank into her book, still listening. "If Quirrell told him how to break his Anti-Dark Forces enchantment ..."

"But there's still Fluffy left," Hermione pointed out.

"Maybe Snape figured out how to get past him without asking Hagrid," said Ron, looking at the thousands of books that surrounded him. "There must be a book around here that tells how to outwit a giant three-headed dog. What are we going to do, Harry?"

The light of adventure was shining in Ron's eyes again, but Hermione answered before Harry did.

"Go see Dumbledore. That's what we should have done a long time ago. If we come up with something by ourselves, we will lose."

"But we have Rosie, Rosie knows everything," Ron muttered, and Rose smiled slightly at him.

"We have no proof!" Harry exclaimed. "Quirrell is too scared to back us up. Snape just has to say that he didn't know how the troll got in on Halloween and that he wasn't anywhere near the third floor. Who do you think they're going to believe, him or us? No. It's not exactly a secret that we detest him, except you Rose, but you clearly don't think it's Snape. Dumbledore will think we made it up to get him kicked out. Filch wouldn't help us even if his life depended on it, he's too much of Snape's friend and the more students he can take, the better for him. And don't forget that we're not supposed to know anything about the Stone or Fluffy. That would be a lot of explanations. "

Even Rose seemed to be a bit convinced, preferring to replace the word Snape with Quirrell.. and the first part of what he said. Hermione seemed convinced, but Ron didn't.

"If we investigate just a little ..."

"No," said Harry flatly, "we've done too much research already."

He held a map of Jupiter up to his table and learned the names of the moons from him.

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Again, Rose stayed in the Gryffindor common room, waiting for her friends. Ron had his head on her lap, clearly asleep from Rose's caressing of his hair. The Marauders map was on the inside of her cardigan, drawing her attention.

She has not talked to her friends from the past for quite some time. Not even in the infirmary. Maybe it had all been too strange for her since she asked Professor Sprout about her parents.

The thought that one of the Marauders could be her father made her hair stand on end, and despite wanting to talk with them, she caught herself and continued stroking Ron's hair as she stared into the fire.

The door opened, and Rose turned her head slightly, watching her three friends enter. Neville said goodbye as soon as he entered and ran into the bedroom. Hermione sat down next to Rose, resting her head against her shoulder. Ron had already settled down while Harry told them what had happened to him in the woods.

The black-haired boy couldn't sit up. He paced back and forth, shivering, before the fireplace.

"Snape wants the stone for Voldemort.. and Voldemort is waiting in the forest... And all the time we thought Snape just wanted to be rich!"

"Stop saying the name!" Ron said terrified, as if he thought Voldemort could hear them.

Rose thought that was silly. Voldemort was someone who believed himself superior, just like Malfoy, only much more evil; a psychopath crap maniac. The fear of his name would only increase his ego; and if Rose did not think to stop calling him by his name, much less Harry.

"Firenze saved me, but he shouldn't have done it... Bane was furious... He was talking about interfering with what the planets say will happen... They must say that Voldemort is back... Bane thinks Firenze should have let Voldemort It will kill me. I suppose that is also written in the stars. "

The girl sank into the information, marveling at the centaurs. She admired how they could deduce the planets. Of course she did not admire that dark part that they had... But the extensive intelligence of them to fixate on a planet and know everything with just a glance was enthusiasm.

Mars is bright tonight, Rose knew something about it, but she couldn't remember... Mars.. bright... The war! It meant _war is coming_.

A chill ran through her, causing Hermione to look at her strangely. She shook her head, smiling uncomfortably.

"Harry, everyone says Dumbledore is the one You-Know-Who has always feared. With Dumbledore around, You-Know-Who won't touch you. Anyway, who's to say that centaurs are right? They seem like fortune-tellers to me, and Professor McGonagall says that's a very inaccurate branch of magic."

Inaccurate but not false, Rose thought.


End file.
